2012 Volkswagen Sharan — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 12,317 MOT tests, the 2012 Volkswagen Sharan recorded a 79.4% pass rate. That is 2.2 percentage points better than MPVs of a similar age, which fail at 22.8%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (10.1%) and lighting & signalling (8.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, malfunction indicator lamp and tread depth — pins and bushes alone was recorded 922 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 21.8% versus 9.9%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 7.4pp more often than petrol ones (21.6% vs 14.2%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 30.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 19.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 10.1% | 1,244 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 8.8% | 1,088 |
| 3 | Tyres | 7.5% | 928 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 4.7% | 578 |
| 5 | Brakes | 3.2% | 399 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.2% | 267 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pins and bushes | 922 |
| 2 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 498 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 452 |
| 4 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 365 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 320 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 253 |
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 | 30.1% | 3,714 |
| 2 | Tyres | 29.2% | 3,593 |
| 3 | Brakes | 18.9% | 2,328 |
| 4 | Other defects | 11.1% | 1,361 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 6.5% | 802 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.1% | 625 |
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 | 71 | 9.9% |
| 30-60k | 1,242 | 14.5% |
| 60-90k | 3,294 | 18.5% |
| 90-120k | 3,327 | 22.5% |
| 120-150k | 2,164 | 23.4% |
| 150k+ | 2,218 | 21.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 10,598 | 21.6% |
| Petrol | 1,719 | 14.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,355 | 19.7% |
| 2022 | 2,393 | 20.3% |
| 2023 | 2,507 | 20.5% |
| 2024 | 2,523 | 20.6% |
| 2025 | 2,539 | 21.8% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Sharan
On a 2012 Sharan, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 10.1% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (10.1% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (8.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (7.5% 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.
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 Sharans pass their MOT?
79.4% of the 12,317 2012 Volkswagen Sharan MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Volkswagen Sharan?
Suspension, recorded in 10.1% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (8.8%).
Does the 2012 Sharan get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.9% in the 0-30k band to 21.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 12,317 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.