2012 Subaru Forester — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 1,726 MOT tests, the 2012 Subaru Forester recorded a 79.6% pass rate. Mid-size SUVs of a similar age fail 22.2% of the time, so this is 1.8pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 14.5% of all tests — 5.2 points clear of suspension, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, pins and bushes and stop lamp — position lamp alone was recorded 107 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 12.0% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 25.6% once past 150k — 2.1× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 5.5pp more often than petrol ones (22.3% vs 16.8%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 37.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 17.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 24.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 14.5% | 251 |
| 2 | Suspension | 9.4% | 162 |
| 3 | Brakes | 7.1% | 123 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.8% | 82 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.9% | 68 |
| 6 | Tyres | 3.3% | 57 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 107 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 103 |
| 3 | Stop lamp | 100 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 84 |
| 5 | Wipers | 58 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 56 |
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 | 37.8% | 653 |
| 2 | Brakes | 22.4% | 387 |
| 3 | Tyres | 17.6% | 304 |
| 4 | Other defects | 9.2% | 159 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 9.1% | 157 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.0% | 86 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 216 | 12.0% |
| 60-90k | 565 | 19.7% |
| 90-120k | 511 | 20.3% |
| 120-150k | 290 | 27.2% |
| 150k+ | 125 | 25.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 1,130 | 22.3% |
| Petrol | 596 | 16.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 359 | 17.0% |
| 2022 | 360 | 19.2% |
| 2023 | 339 | 18.9% |
| 2024 | 349 | 23.2% |
| 2025 | 319 | 24.1% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Forester
On a 2012 Forester, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 14.5% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (14.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (9.4% 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 (7.1% 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 Subaru Foresters pass their MOT?
79.6% of the 1,726 2012 Subaru Forester MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Subaru Forester?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.5% of tests, followed by suspension (9.4%).
Does the 2012 Forester get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.0% in the 30-60k band to 25.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,726 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.