Used car guide

2012 Vauxhall Corsa: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2012 Vauxhall Corsas, from 68,236 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

68,236MOT tests in 2025
57%pass first time (all 2012 cars: 63%)
6,100typical miles a year
2.5×the usual rate for engine oil leaks

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2012 Vauxhall Corsas than on all cars registered in 2012.

  • Engine oil leaks2.5× usual
    Vauxhall Corsa
    18.2% All 2012 cars
    7.3%
    Rough price £80–£600

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and where the car is usually parked for fresh oil. Ask whether the leak has been looked at.

  • Shock absorbers2.6× usual
    Vauxhall Corsa
    17.2% All 2012 cars
    6.5%
    Rough price £150–£400

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

  • Sub-frame2.3× usual
    Vauxhall Corsa
    11.5% All 2012 cars
    5%
    Rough price £300–£1,000

    At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

  • Coil springs1.6× usual
    Vauxhall Corsa
    15.7% All 2012 cars
    9.6%
    Rough price £120–£300

    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 system1.8× usual
    Vauxhall Corsa
    9.8% All 2012 cars
    5.5%
    Rough price £100–£500

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

Better than most

Suspension arm bushes and joints: 4% here, against 10.1% of all 2012 cars. Ball joint: 1.6% here, against 5.6% of all 2012 cars.

By area

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

  • Suspension
    44% 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.

  • Lights and electrics
    31% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Brakes
    24% 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.

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    19% 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.

  • Exhaust and emissions
    11% 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.

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
201941,997Tyres 30%
201852,878Tyres 34%
201751,943Suspension 37%
201675,251Suspension 41%
201586,737Suspension 43%
201472,135Suspension 45%
201369,323Suspension 43%
201153,793Suspension 45%
201046,086Suspension 45%
200939,748Suspension 47%
200835,816Suspension 50%

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