2012 Renault Laguna — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 1,885 MOT tests, the 2012 Renault Laguna recorded a 73.4% pass rate. That is 5.2 percentage points worse than large family cars of a similar age, which fail at 21.4%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (16.1%) and lighting & signalling (14.0%) 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 headlamp aim — coil spring alone was recorded 276 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2012 Laguna fails 26.1% of the time in the 30-60k band and 28.2% at 150k+, a spread of only 2.1 points.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 34.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 27.9% in 2021 to 25.4% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 16.1% | 303 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 14.0% | 264 |
| 3 | Brakes | 7.7% | 145 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.1% | 96 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.2% | 80 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.5% | 67 |
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 | 276 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 124 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 86 |
| 4 | Joints | 78 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 73 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 57 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 34.3% | 647 |
| 2 | Suspension | 27.1% | 511 |
| 3 | Tyres | 24.7% | 465 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 13.1% | 247 |
| 5 | Other defects | 9.7% | 182 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.5% | 84 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 138 | 26.1% |
| 60-90k | 347 | 27.7% |
| 90-120k | 517 | 25.7% |
| 120-150k | 457 | 25.2% |
| 150k+ | 411 | 28.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 455 | 27.9% |
| 2022 | 411 | 26.5% |
| 2023 | 386 | 26.4% |
| 2024 | 342 | 26.0% |
| 2025 | 291 | 25.4% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Laguna
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 16.1% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (16.1% 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 (14.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.7% 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 Lagunas pass their MOT?
73.4% of the 1,885 2012 Renault Laguna MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 26.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Renault Laguna?
Suspension, recorded in 16.1% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (14.0%).
Does the 2012 Laguna get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 26.1% in the 30-60k band to 28.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,885 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.