2012 Peugeot Bipper — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2012 Peugeot Bipper passed 72.6% of its 11,937 recorded MOT tests. Against vans of a similar age (25.4% fail rate), the 2012 Bipper comes out 2.0pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 16.7% of tests against 13.4% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are shock absorbers, coil spring and position lamp — shock absorbers alone was recorded 1,105 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 29.7% versus 19.3%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 31.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 26.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 28.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 16.7% | 1,989 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 13.4% | 1,599 |
| 3 | Tyres | 7.2% | 865 |
| 4 | Visibility | 6.4% | 759 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.6% | 664 |
| 6 | Brakes | 5.3% | 637 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shock absorbers | 1,105 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 976 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 611 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 559 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 449 |
| 6 | Washers | 414 |
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 | 31.6% | 3,772 |
| 2 | Suspension | 22.4% | 2,676 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 16.7% | 1,988 |
| 4 | Brakes | 16.0% | 1,906 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 13.7% | 1,632 |
| 6 | Visibility | 10.1% | 1,207 |
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 | 353 | 19.3% |
| 30-60k | 1,674 | 23.9% |
| 60-90k | 3,230 | 26.5% |
| 90-120k | 3,309 | 29.0% |
| 120-150k | 1,984 | 28.8% |
| 150k+ | 1,351 | 29.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 11,901 | 27.4% |
| Petrol | 34 | 17.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,881 | 26.7% |
| 2022 | 2,704 | 26.8% |
| 2023 | 2,412 | 27.9% |
| 2024 | 2,109 | 27.4% |
| 2025 | 1,831 | 28.6% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Bipper
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 16.7% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (16.7% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Lighting & signalling (13.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (7.2% 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.
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 2012 Peugeot Bippers pass their MOT?
72.6% of the 11,937 2012 Peugeot Bipper MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 27.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Peugeot Bipper?
Suspension, recorded in 16.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (13.4%).
Does the 2012 Bipper get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 19.3% in the 0-30k band to 29.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 11,937 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.