2013 SEAT Mii — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 20,946 MOT tests, the 2013 SEAT Mii recorded an 83.5% pass rate. All cars of a similar age fail 20.1% of the time, so this is 3.6pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and seat belts & restraints.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (7.5%) and brakes (6.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are service brake performance, srs malfunction indicator lamp and headlamp aim — service brake performance alone was recorded 1,011 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 17.2% versus 9.5%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 24.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 14.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 18.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 7.5% | 1,563 |
| 2 | Brakes | 6.6% | 1,382 |
| 3 | Seat belts & restraints | 3.9% | 808 |
| 4 | Tyres | 3.4% | 714 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.3% | 700 |
| 6 | Suspension | 3.3% | 684 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Service brake performance | 1,011 |
| 2 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 747 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 710 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 539 |
| 5 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 432 |
| 6 | Wipers | 431 |
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 | 24.5% | 5,141 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.1% | 3,997 |
| 3 | Suspension | 8.3% | 1,740 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.9% | 1,649 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.9% | 611 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.9% | 598 |
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 | 2,472 | 9.5% |
| 30-60k | 8,832 | 13.8% |
| 60-90k | 6,968 | 19.5% |
| 90-120k | 2,100 | 23.3% |
| 120-150k | 479 | 26.9% |
| 150k+ | 87 | 17.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,135 | 14.2% |
| 2022 | 4,167 | 15.4% |
| 2023 | 4,195 | 16.2% |
| 2024 | 4,228 | 17.9% |
| 2025 | 4,221 | 18.7% |
What to check before buying a 2013 Mii
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 7.5% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (7.5% 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.
- Seat belts & restraints (3.9% of tests): Belt damage or faulty pretensioners — usually straightforward but safety-critical. Typical repair: £50–£300.
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 SEAT Miis pass their MOT?
83.5% of the 20,946 2013 SEAT Mii MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2013 SEAT Mii?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.5% of tests, followed by brakes (6.6%).
Does the 2013 Mii get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.5% in the 0-30k band to 17.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 20,946 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.