Used car guide

2012 Fiat Panda: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2012 Fiat Pandas, from 6,167 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

6,167MOT tests in 2025
64%pass first time (all 2012 cars: 63%)
4,800typical miles a year
2.5×the usual rate for shock absorbers

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2012 Fiat Pandas than on all cars registered in 2012.

  • Shock absorbers2.5× usual
    Fiat Panda
    16.4% All 2012 cars
    6.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 6%, against 1.7% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £200–£300 (pair, average rear to front) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.

  • Coil springs1.9× usual
    Fiat Panda
    17.8% All 2012 cars
    9.6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.1%, against 4% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £175–£400 (pair, one axle) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Look behind each wheel for a snapped spring coil, and listen for a clunk or twang when turning the wheel lock to lock with the car stopped.

  • Exhaust system2.3× usual
    Fiat Panda
    12.9% All 2012 cars
    5.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.9%, against 1.5% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£500 (pipe or section) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for blowing or rattling from underneath at idle, and look for black soot around joints.

  • Handbrake cables11× usual
    Fiat Panda
    2.2% All 2012 cars
    0.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.4%, against 0.1% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £80–£300 our estimate

    At the viewing: Pull the handbrake on a slope. It should hold the car within a few clicks.

  • Flexible brake hoses2.1× usual
    Fiat Panda
    3.2% All 2012 cars
    1.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.3%, against 0.2% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £50–£200 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look for cracked or bulging rubber hoses behind the wheels and in the engine bay.

Better than most

Brake pads: 4.7% here, against 9.6% of all 2012 cars. Rigid brake pipes: 2.6% here, against 5.5% of all 2012 cars.

By area

The share of 2012 Fiat Panda MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    46% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Tyres
    33% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Brakes
    23% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Lights and electrics
    22% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Exhaust and emissions
    14% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

    At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for engine or DPF warning lights.

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    10% of testsRough price £80–£600

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.

Looking at a Fiat Panda?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2022539Tyres 15%
2021750Tyres 20%
20201,581Tyres 24%
20192,552Tyres 24%
20182,666Tyres 28%
20173,492Tyres 29%
20164,794Tyres 29%
20157,857Suspension 36%
20147,856Suspension 38%
20137,299Suspension 43%
20115,046Suspension 59%
20108,116Suspension 60%
20099,043Suspension 59%
20084,113Suspension 60%
20074,274Suspension 59%
20063,215Suspension 59%
20052,451Suspension 59%
20041,983Suspension 60%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2012 Fiat Pandas registered in 2012. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score