2012 Skoda Roomster — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 14,926 MOT tests, the 2012 Skoda Roomster recorded an 80.9% pass rate. MPVs of a similar age fail 22.7% of the time, so this is 3.7pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (8.9%) and suspension (6.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are individual direction indicators, joints and pins and bushes — individual direction indicators alone was recorded 733 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 28.2% versus 9.9%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 17.7% fail against 21.4% for diesel, a 3.7-point gap across 14,926 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 26.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 16.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.9% | 1,333 |
| 2 | Suspension | 6.2% | 928 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.3% | 788 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.0% | 753 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.7% | 702 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.6% | 396 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Individual direction indicators | 733 |
| 2 | Joints | 491 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 460 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 405 |
| 5 | Wipers | 349 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 339 |
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 | 26.9% | 4,007 |
| 2 | Brakes | 24.6% | 3,677 |
| 3 | Suspension | 16.7% | 2,495 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 12.3% | 1,835 |
| 5 | Other defects | 10.9% | 1,634 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 8.3% | 1,245 |
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 | 769 | 9.9% |
| 30-60k | 4,209 | 14.4% |
| 60-90k | 5,337 | 19.3% |
| 90-120k | 3,045 | 23.3% |
| 120-150k | 1,065 | 26.4% |
| 150k+ | 479 | 28.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 9,474 | 17.7% |
| Diesel | 5,452 | 21.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,969 | 16.1% |
| 2022 | 3,006 | 17.2% |
| 2023 | 3,008 | 18.9% |
| 2024 | 3,029 | 21.5% |
| 2025 | 2,914 | 21.6% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Roomster
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 8.9% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (8.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (6.2% 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.
- Brakes (5.3% 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 Skoda Roomsters pass their MOT?
80.9% of the 14,926 2012 Skoda Roomster MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Skoda Roomster?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.9% of tests, followed by suspension (6.2%).
Does the 2012 Roomster get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.9% in the 0-30k band to 28.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 14,926 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.