2012 · 12 years old at test · Petrol mostly

2012 Volkswagen Beetle MOT pass rate and common faults

2,248 MOT tests in 2024. 65.5% passed first time, compared with 64.3% for all cars the same age.

102About average
Passed first time65.5%
Failed or needed repairs34.5%
Typical mileage at test74,000

Most common reasons for failing

Share of all 2,248 tests where this item caused a failure.

  1. Rear fog lamp: not working9.1%
  2. Suspension arms - pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn6.3%
  3. Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt5.9%
  4. Coil spring: fractured or broken4.2%
  5. Linkage ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt2.0%
  6. Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1.7%
    64 marked dangerous
  7. Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction1.6%
  8. Suspension arms - ball joint: ball joint excessively worn1.4%
  9. Washers: not working1.1%
  10. Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively1.1%

Problem areas

Failure items found per 100 tests, by part of the car.

  1. Lights & electrics17.5%
  2. Suspension16.5%
  3. Body & chassis6.9%
  4. Tyres6.0%
  5. Brakes5.9%
  6. Visibility (wipers, screen, mirrors)4.3%
  7. Emissions & leaks4.1%
  8. Number plates & VIN0.6%

Most common advisories

Not failures yet, but things the tester warned about.

  1. Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm15.7%
  2. Tyres - condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure11.7%
  3. Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened11.6%
  4. Suspension arms - pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn11.5%
  5. Coil spring: corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened6.7%

What this means if you are buying one

This model year is about as good as an average car its age. Before buying, check the area that fails most: rear fog lamp: not working. Then look up the car's own MOT history on GOV.UK with its number plate, and look for repeat advisories.

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Questions

What is the MOT pass rate for a 2012 Volkswagen Beetle?

In 2024, 65.5% of 2012 Volkswagen Beetle cars passed their MOT first time, across 2,248 tests. The average for all 12-year-old cars was 64.3%.

What are the most common MOT failures on a 2012 Volkswagen Beetle?

The most common failure reasons were rear fog lamp: not working; suspension arms - pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn; joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt. The biggest problem area was lights & electrics.

Is the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle reliable at MOT time?

Its MOT Rank score is 102, which is about average for a car of its age (100 means exactly average).