2012 Toyota Gt86 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2012 Toyota Gt86 passed 86.3% of its 6,807 recorded MOT tests. Against coupes & convertibles of a similar age (16.3% fail rate), the 2012 Gt86 comes out 2.6pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (4.3%) and tyres (4.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, tread depth and service brake performance — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 246 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 5.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 18.0% once past 120-150k — 3.6× the risk.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 20.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 10.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 15.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 4.3% | 292 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.0% | 271 |
| 3 | Brakes | 3.2% | 216 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 3.1% | 209 |
| 5 | Suspension | 3.0% | 207 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.7% | 184 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 246 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 202 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 153 |
| 4 | Wipers | 116 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 110 |
| 6 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 98 |
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 | 20.3% | 1,380 |
| 2 | Brakes | 15.9% | 1,081 |
| 3 | Suspension | 9.5% | 646 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 5.9% | 398 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.9% | 336 |
| 6 | Other defects | 4.3% | 294 |
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 | 418 | 5.0% |
| 30-60k | 2,138 | 10.8% |
| 60-90k | 2,865 | 14.7% |
| 90-120k | 1,130 | 18.9% |
| 120-150k | 228 | 18.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,360 | 10.5% |
| 2022 | 1,375 | 12.7% |
| 2023 | 1,364 | 13.3% |
| 2024 | 1,363 | 16.1% |
| 2025 | 1,345 | 15.8% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Gt86
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 4.3% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (4.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (4.0% 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.
- Brakes (3.2% 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 Toyota Gt86s pass their MOT?
86.3% of the 6,807 2012 Toyota Gt86 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Toyota Gt86?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 4.3% of tests, followed by tyres (4.0%).
Does the 2012 Gt86 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.0% in the 0-30k band to 18.0% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,807 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.