2011 Skoda Yeti — MOT failures & pass rate
32,807 MOT tests on the 2011 Skoda Yeti are in this dataset, and 79.3% of them passed. That is 2.9 percentage points better than small SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 23.6%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Suspension dominates the failure mix at 12.5% of all tests — 5.8 points clear of lighting & signalling, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, pins and bushes and linkage ball joint dust cover — coil spring alone was recorded 1,542 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 12.4% in the 0-30k band and 26.4% in the 150k+ band, a 14.0-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 4.0pp more often than petrol ones (22.3% vs 18.3%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 29.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 18.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 23.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 12.5% | 4,103 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 6.7% | 2,210 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.3% | 1,749 |
| 4 | Tyres | 3.7% | 1,208 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.6% | 866 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.8% | 581 |
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 | 1,542 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 1,139 |
| 3 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 1,083 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 853 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 662 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 591 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 29.0% | 9,527 |
| 2 | Tyres | 24.0% | 7,875 |
| 3 | Brakes | 21.7% | 7,124 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.0% | 2,298 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 6.0% | 1,954 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 5.2% | 1,718 |
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 | 676 | 12.4% |
| 30-60k | 4,980 | 14.5% |
| 60-90k | 10,242 | 19.0% |
| 90-120k | 9,520 | 22.5% |
| 120-150k | 4,873 | 25.6% |
| 150k+ | 2,502 | 26.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 20,280 | 22.3% |
| Petrol | 12,527 | 18.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 6,569 | 18.3% |
| 2022 | 6,583 | 19.2% |
| 2023 | 6,623 | 20.8% |
| 2024 | 6,589 | 22.1% |
| 2025 | 6,443 | 23.4% |
What to check before buying a 2011 Yeti
On a 2011 Yeti, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 12.5% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (12.5% 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 (6.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- 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 2011 Skoda Yetis pass their MOT?
79.3% of the 32,807 2011 Skoda Yeti MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 Skoda Yeti?
Suspension, recorded in 12.5% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (6.7%).
Does the 2011 Yeti get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.4% in the 0-30k band to 26.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 32,807 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.