2013 Smart Fortwo Pulse Mhd — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 1,648 MOT tests, the 2013 Smart Fortwo Pulse Mhd recorded an 83.0% pass rate. All cars of a similar age fail 20.2% of the time, so this is 3.1pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (9.2%) and brakes (7.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are service brake performance, tread depth and wipers — service brake performance alone was recorded 72 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 28.6% versus 11.1%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 24.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 12.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 23.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 9.2% | 152 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.0% | 116 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.7% | 77 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.4% | 73 |
| 5 | Suspension | 3.7% | 61 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.0% | 49 |
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 | 72 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 61 |
| 3 | Wipers | 52 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 51 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 48 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 46 |
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 | 24.3% | 400 |
| 2 | Brakes | 18.2% | 300 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 5.3% | 88 |
| 4 | Other defects | 4.7% | 78 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.9% | 65 |
| 6 | Suspension | 2.7% | 45 |
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 | 404 | 11.1% |
| 30-60k | 841 | 17.9% |
| 60-90k | 334 | 19.8% |
| 90-120k | 56 | 28.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 326 | 12.6% |
| 2022 | 319 | 13.8% |
| 2023 | 327 | 15.0% |
| 2024 | 329 | 19.4% |
| 2025 | 347 | 23.9% |
What to check before buying a 2013 Fortwo Pulse Mhd
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 9.2% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (9.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.0% 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.
- Tyres (4.7% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
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 Smart Fortwo Pulse Mhds pass their MOT?
83.0% of the 1,648 2013 Smart Fortwo Pulse Mhd MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2013 Smart Fortwo Pulse Mhd?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 9.2% of tests, followed by brakes (7.0%).
Does the 2013 Fortwo Pulse Mhd get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.1% in the 0-30k band to 28.6% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,648 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.