2012 Volkswagen Touran — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2012 Volkswagen Touran passed 79.5% of its 35,581 recorded MOT tests. That is 2.2 percentage points better than MPVs of a similar age, which fail at 22.7%. Failures cluster in suspension, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
Suspension dominates the failure mix at 10.8% of all tests — 3.6 points clear of tyres, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, linkage ball joint dust cover and tread depth — coil spring alone was recorded 1,636 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 9.8% in the 0-30k band and 22.7% in the 150k+ band, a 12.9-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 7.4pp more often than petrol ones (21.1% vs 13.7%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 30.6% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 19.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 10.8% | 3,843 |
| 2 | Tyres | 7.2% | 2,554 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 6.5% | 2,320 |
| 4 | Brakes | 5.1% | 1,822 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.1% | 1,089 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.4% | 507 |
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 | 1,636 |
| 2 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 1,322 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 1,268 |
| 4 | Pins and bushes | 1,072 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 979 |
| 6 | Wipers | 685 |
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 | 30.6% | 10,903 |
| 2 | Suspension | 28.6% | 10,189 |
| 3 | Brakes | 20.5% | 7,310 |
| 4 | Other defects | 11.6% | 4,133 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 5.8% | 2,050 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 5.1% | 1,815 |
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 | 245 | 9.8% |
| 30-60k | 3,429 | 13.0% |
| 60-90k | 10,214 | 19.4% |
| 90-120k | 10,460 | 21.9% |
| 120-150k | 6,249 | 23.1% |
| 150k+ | 4,981 | 22.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 32,949 | 21.1% |
| Petrol | 2,630 | 13.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 7,050 | 19.7% |
| 2022 | 6,993 | 19.2% |
| 2023 | 7,356 | 21.0% |
| 2024 | 7,140 | 20.9% |
| 2025 | 7,042 | 21.9% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Touran
On a 2012 Touran, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 10.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (10.8% 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.
- Tyres (7.2% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (6.5% 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 Tourans pass their MOT?
79.5% of the 35,581 2012 Volkswagen Touran MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Volkswagen Touran?
Suspension, recorded in 10.8% of tests, followed by tyres (7.2%).
Does the 2012 Touran get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.8% in the 0-30k band to 22.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 35,581 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.