2012 Skoda Yeti — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2012 Skoda Yeti passed 80.7% of its 41,369 recorded MOT tests. Against small SUVs of a similar age (22.3% fail rate), the 2012 Yeti comes out 3.0pp better. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 10.7% of tests against 5.5% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, coil spring and headlamp aim — pins and bushes alone was recorded 1,931 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 9.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 25.3% once past 150k — 2.8× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 16.0% fail against 20.5% for diesel, a 4.5-point gap across 41,369 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 23.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 15.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 22.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 10.7% | 4,407 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.5% | 2,274 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.6% | 1,918 |
| 4 | Tyres | 3.7% | 1,519 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.1% | 1,264 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.2% | 896 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pins and bushes | 1,931 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 1,661 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 1,014 |
| 4 | Joints | 894 |
| 5 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 883 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 849 |
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 | 23.6% | 9,764 |
| 2 | Suspension | 22.1% | 9,121 |
| 3 | Brakes | 21.7% | 8,968 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.0% | 2,881 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.1% | 2,107 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 4.1% | 1,711 |
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 | 886 | 9.1% |
| 30-60k | 7,166 | 12.8% |
| 60-90k | 13,764 | 17.6% |
| 90-120k | 11,703 | 22.5% |
| 120-150k | 5,353 | 24.5% |
| 150k+ | 2,475 | 25.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 30,764 | 20.5% |
| Petrol | 10,605 | 16.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 8,049 | 15.4% |
| 2022 | 8,210 | 17.6% |
| 2023 | 8,398 | 19.6% |
| 2024 | 8,357 | 21.2% |
| 2025 | 8,355 | 22.8% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Yeti
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 10.7% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (10.7% 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 (5.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (4.6% 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.
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 Yetis pass their MOT?
80.7% of the 41,369 2012 Skoda Yeti MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Skoda Yeti?
Suspension, recorded in 10.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (5.5%).
Does the 2012 Yeti get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.1% in the 0-30k band to 25.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 41,369 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.