2013 MINI Cooper — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2013 MINI Cooper passed 84.9% of its 89,497 recorded MOT tests. Superminis of a similar age fail 21.1% of the time, so this is 6.0pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 10.4% of all tests — 5.3 points clear of tyres, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, headlamp aim and stop lamp — position lamp alone was recorded 3,519 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.6% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 23.2% once past 150k — 3.1× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.0pp more often than petrol ones (17.0% vs 14.1%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 24.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 13.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 17.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.4% | 9,304 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.1% | 4,590 |
| 3 | Visibility | 4.2% | 3,777 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.6% | 3,228 |
| 5 | Brakes | 3.2% | 2,874 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.3% | 1,163 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 3,519 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 3,182 |
| 3 | Stop lamp | 2,435 |
| 4 | Wipers | 2,381 |
| 5 | Shock absorbers | 2,074 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 1,927 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 24.7% | 22,133 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.4% | 17,383 |
| 3 | Suspension | 12.7% | 11,391 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 9.7% | 8,634 |
| 5 | Other defects | 6.5% | 5,794 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.1% | 4,601 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 6,985 | 7.6% |
| 30-60k | 34,391 | 12.2% |
| 60-90k | 32,424 | 16.9% |
| 90-120k | 12,260 | 20.5% |
| 120-150k | 2,797 | 23.2% |
| 150k+ | 630 | 23.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 57,052 | 14.1% |
| Diesel | 32,445 | 17.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 17,802 | 13.0% |
| 2022 | 17,967 | 14.2% |
| 2023 | 18,003 | 15.1% |
| 2024 | 18,009 | 16.2% |
| 2025 | 17,716 | 17.1% |
What to check before buying a 2013 Cooper
On a 2013 Cooper, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 10.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (10.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.1% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Visibility (4.2% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2013 MINI Coopers pass their MOT?
84.9% of the 89,497 2013 MINI Cooper MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2013 MINI Cooper?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.4% of tests, followed by tyres (5.1%).
Does the 2013 Cooper get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.6% in the 0-30k band to 23.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 89,497 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.