2014 MINI Paceman — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2014 MINI Paceman passed 88.5% of its 20,911 recorded MOT tests. Against small SUVs of a similar age (18.6% fail rate), the 2014 Paceman comes out 7.1pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.8%) and lighting & signalling (5.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, tread depth and brake pads — headlamp aim alone was recorded 719 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 5.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 17.5% once past 150k — 3.5× the risk.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 10.8% of the time against 12.2% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 25.3% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 9.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 13.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.8% | 1,215 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.4% | 1,124 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.8% | 594 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.9% | 406 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.3% | 279 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.1% | 226 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 719 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 563 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 377 |
| 4 | Washers | 292 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 222 |
| 6 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 199 |
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 | 25.3% | 5,295 |
| 2 | Brakes | 15.8% | 3,294 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.7% | 1,185 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.6% | 1,169 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 4.2% | 877 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.3% | 684 |
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 | 1,346 | 5.0% |
| 30-60k | 8,700 | 9.3% |
| 60-90k | 8,169 | 13.3% |
| 90-120k | 2,289 | 15.6% |
| 120-150k | 367 | 20.2% |
| 150k+ | 40 | 17.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 10,496 | 10.8% |
| Diesel | 10,415 | 12.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,201 | 9.5% |
| 2022 | 4,155 | 9.9% |
| 2023 | 4,204 | 11.6% |
| 2024 | 4,194 | 12.7% |
| 2025 | 4,157 | 13.6% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Paceman
On a 2014 Paceman, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (5.8% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (5.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (2.8% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
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 2014 MINI Pacemans pass their MOT?
88.5% of the 20,911 2014 MINI Paceman MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 MINI Paceman?
Tyres, recorded in 5.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (5.4%).
Does the 2014 Paceman get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.0% in the 0-30k band to 17.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 20,911 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.