2012 Volkswagen Phaeton — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2012 Volkswagen Phaeton passed 86.2% of its 507 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail 21.6% of the time, so this is 7.8pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, brakes and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.7%) and brakes (4.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are rbt (sp), pins and bushes and tread depth — rbt (sp) alone was recorded 12 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2012 Phaeton fails 12.0% of the time in the 30-60k band and 11.9% at 150k+, a spread of only 0.2 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 27.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 11.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 14.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.7% | 29 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.5% | 23 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 3.8% | 19 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.2% | 11 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.8% | 9 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.8% | 4 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rbt (sp) | 12 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 10 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 9 |
| 4 | Wipers | 8 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 7 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 6 |
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 | 27.0% | 137 |
| 2 | Brakes | 18.3% | 93 |
| 3 | Suspension | 13.2% | 67 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 9.7% | 49 |
| 5 | Visibility | 6.9% | 35 |
| 6 | Other defects | 5.9% | 30 |
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 | 108 | 12.0% |
| 60-90k | 142 | 11.3% |
| 90-120k | 136 | 17.6% |
| 120-150k | 57 | 17.5% |
| 150k+ | 59 | 11.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 113 | 11.5% |
| 2022 | 104 | 11.5% |
| 2023 | 107 | 16.8% |
| 2024 | 95 | 14.7% |
| 2025 | 88 | 14.8% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Phaeton
On a 2012 Phaeton, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (5.7% 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.
- Brakes (4.5% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (3.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£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 2012 Volkswagen Phaetons pass their MOT?
86.2% of the 507 2012 Volkswagen Phaeton MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Volkswagen Phaeton?
Tyres, recorded in 5.7% of tests, followed by brakes (4.5%).
Does the 2012 Phaeton get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.0% in the 30-60k band to 11.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 507 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.