2012 Vauxhall Corsa — MOT failures & pass rate
487,013 MOT tests on the 2012 Vauxhall Corsa are in this dataset, and 75.7% of them passed. That is 1.8 percentage points worse than superminis of a similar age, which fail at 22.5%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (14.3%) and suspension (12.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, stop lamp and shock absorbers — coil spring alone was recorded 37,169 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 27.8% versus 15.1%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 24.2% of the time against 25.4% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 27.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 23.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 25.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 14.3% | 69,528 |
| 2 | Suspension | 12.7% | 61,683 |
| 3 | Brakes | 6.4% | 31,303 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.9% | 23,876 |
| 5 | Tyres | 4.8% | 23,330 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.6% | 22,184 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 37,169 |
| 2 | Stop lamp | 26,050 |
| 3 | Shock absorbers | 21,532 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 20,406 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 19,886 |
| 6 | Washers | 18,278 |
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 | 27.7% | 134,720 |
| 2 | Suspension | 26.8% | 130,620 |
| 3 | Brakes | 17.3% | 84,058 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 14.3% | 69,874 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 9.9% | 48,145 |
| 6 | Other defects | 8.8% | 42,992 |
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 | 20,815 | 15.1% |
| 30-60k | 139,800 | 21.1% |
| 60-90k | 201,436 | 25.4% |
| 90-120k | 96,858 | 27.6% |
| 120-150k | 22,607 | 28.1% |
| 150k+ | 5,401 | 27.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 430,816 | 24.2% |
| Diesel | 56,192 | 25.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 102,817 | 23.1% |
| 2022 | 101,427 | 23.5% |
| 2023 | 100,164 | 25.1% |
| 2024 | 93,946 | 24.4% |
| 2025 | 88,659 | 25.7% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Corsa
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 14.3% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (14.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (12.7% 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 (6.4% 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 Vauxhall Corsas pass their MOT?
75.7% of the 487,013 2012 Vauxhall Corsa MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 24.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Vauxhall Corsa?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.3% of tests, followed by suspension (12.7%).
Does the 2012 Corsa get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 15.1% in the 0-30k band to 27.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 487,013 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.