2013 Smart Fortwo — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2013 Smart Fortwo passed 84.1% of its 5,186 recorded MOT tests. That is 3.2 percentage points better than city cars of a similar age, which fail at 19.1%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.1% of tests against 4.9% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, stop lamp and headlamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 217 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 12.5% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 25.8% once past 120-150k — 2.1× the risk.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 24.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 12.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 17.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.1% | 525 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.9% | 254 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.7% | 246 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.5% | 232 |
| 5 | Suspension | 3.8% | 199 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.7% | 140 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 217 |
| 2 | Stop lamp | 188 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 173 |
| 4 | Wipers | 163 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 159 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 147 |
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 | 24.1% | 1,248 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.5% | 908 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 5.1% | 264 |
| 4 | Other defects | 4.8% | 247 |
| 5 | Suspension | 4.0% | 207 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.2% | 166 |
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 | 1,269 | 12.5% |
| 30-60k | 2,708 | 15.4% |
| 60-90k | 1,009 | 19.9% |
| 90-120k | 162 | 24.1% |
| 120-150k | 31 | 25.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 4,510 | 15.8% |
| Diesel | 457 | 16.9% |
| Electric | 218 | 15.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,020 | 12.9% |
| 2022 | 1,037 | 14.7% |
| 2023 | 1,049 | 15.1% |
| 2024 | 1,059 | 19.2% |
| 2025 | 1,021 | 17.7% |
What to check before buying a 2013 Fortwo
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 10.1% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (10.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (4.9% 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.
- 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 Fortwos pass their MOT?
84.1% of the 5,186 2013 Smart Fortwo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2013 Smart Fortwo?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.1% of tests, followed by brakes (4.9%).
Does the 2013 Fortwo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.5% in the 0-30k band to 25.8% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 5,186 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.