2012 Renault Clio — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2012 Renault Clio passed 69.2% of its 107,037 recorded MOT tests. That is 8.2 percentage points worse than superminis of a similar age, which fail at 22.6%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (20.3%) and lighting & signalling (19.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, position lamp and track rod end — coil spring alone was recorded 16,126 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 21.5% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 35.1% once past 150k.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 1.6pp more often than petrol ones (32.1% vs 30.5%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 28.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 29.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 31.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 20.3% | 21,768 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 19.7% | 21,036 |
| 3 | Brakes | 6.6% | 7,100 |
| 4 | Steering | 6.2% | 6,601 |
| 5 | Tyres | 5.5% | 5,944 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.4% | 4,722 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 16,126 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 7,539 |
| 3 | Track rod end | 7,472 |
| 4 | Ball joint | 7,228 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 6,622 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 6,537 |
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 | 28.1% | 30,105 |
| 2 | Brakes | 22.8% | 24,393 |
| 3 | Suspension | 17.5% | 18,763 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 11.9% | 12,772 |
| 5 | Other defects | 10.1% | 10,783 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 5.8% | 6,162 |
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 | 5,843 | 21.5% |
| 30-60k | 32,307 | 27.7% |
| 60-90k | 42,580 | 32.4% |
| 90-120k | 19,351 | 33.9% |
| 120-150k | 5,114 | 34.5% |
| 150k+ | 1,483 | 35.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 85,336 | 30.5% |
| Diesel | 21,701 | 32.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 22,439 | 29.9% |
| 2022 | 22,267 | 30.3% |
| 2023 | 21,826 | 30.9% |
| 2024 | 20,872 | 31.4% |
| 2025 | 19,633 | 31.7% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Clio
On a 2012 Clio, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 20.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (20.3% 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 (19.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (6.6% 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 2012 Renault Clios pass their MOT?
69.2% of the 107,037 2012 Renault Clio MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 30.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Renault Clio?
Suspension, recorded in 20.3% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (19.7%).
Does the 2012 Clio get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 21.5% in the 0-30k band to 35.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 107,037 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.