2012 Skoda Fabia — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2012 Skoda Fabia passed 81.0% of its 87,386 recorded MOT tests. That is 3.6 percentage points better than superminis of a similar age, which fail at 22.6%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (8.2%) and brakes (6.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are service brake performance, pins and bushes and headlamp aim — service brake performance alone was recorded 2,968 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 26.5% once past 150k — 3.3× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 17.2% fail against 22.2% for diesel, a 5.0-point gap across 87,386 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 27.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 16.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.2% | 7,201 |
| 2 | Brakes | 6.9% | 5,999 |
| 3 | Suspension | 6.4% | 5,582 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.4% | 4,729 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.5% | 3,076 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.9% | 2,544 |
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 | 2,968 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 2,963 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 2,449 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 2,240 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 2,171 |
| 6 | Wipers | 2,023 |
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 | 27.1% | 23,639 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.0% | 16,599 |
| 3 | Suspension | 18.0% | 15,739 |
| 4 | Other defects | 11.0% | 9,633 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 8.9% | 7,818 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.3% | 5,513 |
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 | 4,715 | 8.1% |
| 30-60k | 22,618 | 13.5% |
| 60-90k | 30,223 | 19.5% |
| 90-120k | 19,421 | 23.4% |
| 120-150k | 7,461 | 25.5% |
| 150k+ | 2,940 | 26.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 56,373 | 17.2% |
| Diesel | 31,013 | 22.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 17,821 | 16.3% |
| 2022 | 17,775 | 17.4% |
| 2023 | 17,667 | 18.9% |
| 2024 | 17,451 | 21.0% |
| 2025 | 16,672 | 21.4% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Fabia
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 8.2% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (8.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (6.9% 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.
- Suspension (6.4% 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.
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 Skoda Fabias pass their MOT?
81.0% of the 87,386 2012 Skoda Fabia MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 18.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Skoda Fabia?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.2% of tests, followed by brakes (6.9%).
Does the 2012 Fabia get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.1% in the 0-30k band to 26.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 87,386 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.