2013 Suzuki Swift — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2013 Suzuki Swift passed 84.3% of its 51,826 recorded MOT tests. Against superminis of a similar age (21.1% fail rate), the 2013 Swift comes out 5.5pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.1% of tests against 6.6% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are stop lamp, position lamp and rigid brake pipes — stop lamp alone was recorded 3,248 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 22.9% once past 150k — 3.2× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 15.4% fail against 21.6% for diesel, a 6.2-point gap across 51,822 tests.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 28.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 12.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 18.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.1% | 6,788 |
| 2 | Brakes | 6.6% | 3,401 |
| 3 | Visibility | 4.8% | 2,473 |
| 4 | Tyres | 4.4% | 2,267 |
| 5 | Suspension | 3.6% | 1,859 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.1% | 556 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stop lamp | 3,248 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 2,868 |
| 3 | Rigid brake pipes | 2,598 |
| 4 | Wipers | 1,960 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 1,559 |
| 6 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 1,242 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 28.0% | 14,525 |
| 2 | Tyres | 25.9% | 13,400 |
| 3 | Suspension | 13.9% | 7,216 |
| 4 | Other defects | 9.2% | 4,785 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 8.2% | 4,255 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.7% | 2,416 |
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 | 4,270 | 7.0% |
| 30-60k | 19,228 | 12.9% |
| 60-90k | 19,067 | 17.5% |
| 90-120k | 7,258 | 21.4% |
| 120-150k | 1,575 | 22.5% |
| 150k+ | 424 | 22.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 49,683 | 15.4% |
| Diesel | 2,139 | 21.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 10,173 | 12.7% |
| 2022 | 10,320 | 14.4% |
| 2023 | 10,433 | 16.1% |
| 2024 | 10,439 | 17.2% |
| 2025 | 10,461 | 18.1% |
What to check before buying a 2013 Swift
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 13.1% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (13.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (6.6% 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.
- Visibility (4.8% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
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 Suzuki Swifts pass their MOT?
84.3% of the 51,826 2013 Suzuki Swift MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2013 Suzuki Swift?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.1% of tests, followed by brakes (6.6%).
Does the 2013 Swift get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.0% in the 0-30k band to 22.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 51,826 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.