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Mini Cooper MOT Check

MOT pass rates, common failures, and reliability data for the Mini Cooper. Check any Cooper by registration number below.

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76.6%

Avg Pass Rate

-5.1%

vs Mini Avg

26

Year Ranges

Good

Reliability

Mini Cooper — MOT Reliability Overview

The Mini Cooper has an average MOT pass rate of 76.6%, which is 5.1 percentage points below the Mini brand average of 81.7%. This is a reasonable result that reflects typical UK reliability standards. Regular servicing and addressing advisories promptly will help keep your Cooper on the road.

The most common reasons a Mini Cooper fails its MOT are an srs malfunction indicator lamp (mil) indicates a system malfunction, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play. If you are preparing your Cooper for its MOT, checking these areas first could save you a retest fee. Our detailed fault analysis includes estimated repair costs for each failure type.

Before buying a used Mini Cooper, we recommend checking the full MOT history, write-off status, outstanding finance, and stolen vehicle status. These checks can be done for free using the registration number.

MOT Pass Rate by Year

How the Mini Cooper performs at MOT across different model years.

2022

Based on 2,022 vehicles

97.2%Excellent
Mini average: 81.7%
Dangerous Defects

0.7%

Retest Rate

3.0%

Mileage at 3yr

32k mi

2021

Based on 31,393 vehicles

93.7%Excellent
Mini average: 81.7%
Dangerous Defects

2.2%

Retest Rate

7.0%

Mileage at 3yr

33k mi

2020

Based on 52,086 vehicles

93.1%Excellent
Mini average: 81.7%
Dangerous Defects

1.9%

Retest Rate

7.3%

Mileage at 3yr

30k mi

Mileage at 5yr

47k mi

2019

Based on 77,988 vehicles

92.3%Excellent
Mini average: 81.7%
Dangerous Defects

2.5%

Retest Rate

8.4%

Mileage at 3yr

32k mi

Mileage at 5yr

49k mi

2018

Based on 81,427 vehicles

90.9%Excellent
Mini average: 81.7%
Dangerous Defects

3.0%

Retest Rate

9.7%

Mileage at 5yr

50k mi

2017

Based on 72,130 vehicles

89.3%Excellent
Mini average: 81.7%
Dangerous Defects

3.5%

Retest Rate

11.3%

Mileage at 5yr

56k mi

2016

Based on 69,357 vehicles

89.4%Excellent
Mini average: 81.7%
Dangerous Defects

3.4%

Retest Rate

11.2%

2015

Based on 67,092 vehicles

88.3%Excellent
Mini average: 81.7%
Dangerous Defects

3.4%

Retest Rate

12.2%

Mileage at 10yr

105k mi

2014

Based on 48,950 vehicles

86.3%Excellent
Mini average: 81.7%
Dangerous Defects

3.8%

Retest Rate

14.6%

Mileage at 10yr

106k mi

2013

Based on 17,336 vehicles

83.1%Good
Mini average: 81.7%
Dangerous Defects

3.7%

Retest Rate

18.5%

Mileage at 10yr

97k mi

2012

Based on 9,169 vehicles

83.0%Good
Mini average: 81.7%
Dangerous Defects

3.5%

Retest Rate

17.5%

Mileage at 10yr

104k mi

2011

Based on 2,840 vehicles

80.2%Good
Mini average: 81.7%
Dangerous Defects

3.9%

Retest Rate

19.1%

2010

Based on 2,326 vehicles

77.5%Good
Mini average: 81.7%
Dangerous Defects

3.9%

Retest Rate

19.9%

2009

Based on 2,127 vehicles

69.3%Average
Mini average: 81.7%
Dangerous Defects

4.9%

Retest Rate

25.9%

2008

Based on 1,832 vehicles

67.8%Average
Mini average: 81.7%
Dangerous Defects

5.7%

Retest Rate

28.3%

2007

Based on 2,162 vehicles

63.6%Below Average
Mini average: 81.7%
Dangerous Defects

4.4%

Retest Rate

31.7%

2006

Based on 1,141 vehicles

65.6%Average
Mini average: 81.7%
Dangerous Defects

5.7%

Retest Rate

27.3%

2005

Based on 982 vehicles

59.9%Below Average
Mini average: 81.7%
Dangerous Defects

7.1%

Retest Rate

33.9%

2004

Based on 856 vehicles

59.1%Below Average
Mini average: 81.7%
Dangerous Defects

7.1%

Retest Rate

35.1%

2003

Based on 525 vehicles

62.5%Below Average
Mini average: 81.7%
Dangerous Defects

8.5%

Retest Rate

32.1%

2002

Based on 390 vehicles

55.4%Below Average
Mini average: 81.7%
Dangerous Defects

3.6%

Retest Rate

36.3%

2001

Based on 115 vehicles

56.5%Below Average
Mini average: 81.7%
Dangerous Defects

12.9%

Retest Rate

30.6%

1999

Based on 37 vehicles

43.2%Poor
Mini average: 81.7%
Dangerous Defects

0.0%

Retest Rate

100.0%

1997

Based on 32 vehicles

81.3%Good
Mini average: 81.7%
Retest Rate

11.8%

1996

Based on 38 vehicles

73.7%Average
Mini average: 81.7%
Dangerous Defects

0.0%

Retest Rate

3.6%

0

Based on 220,171 vehicles

89.7%Excellent
Mini average: 81.7%
Mileage at 5yr

42k mi

Top MOT Failures — Mini Cooper

The most common reasons a Mini Cooper fails its MOT, aggregated across all year ranges.

1

An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction

5.1%
2

Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded

4.6%
3

A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play

4.6%
4

A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc

4.0%
5

A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning

3.8%

Where Failures Occur

The areas of the vehicle most commonly flagged during MOT inspections.

Front Nearside

0.6%

Front Offside

0.5%

Rear Nearside

0.4%

Mini Cooper — Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about the Mini Cooper MOT and reliability.

What is the MOT pass rate for the Mini Cooper?
The average MOT pass rate for the Mini Cooper is 76.6% compared to the Mini average of 81.7%. Pass rates vary by year — check the year-by-year breakdown on this page for details.
What are the most common MOT failures on a Mini Cooper?
The most common MOT failures on the Mini Cooper are: An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction (5.1%), Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded (4.6%), A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play (4.6%). These are the components most likely to cause an MOT failure.
Is the Mini Cooper reliable?
With an average MOT pass rate of 76.6%, the Mini Cooper is rated as "Good" for reliability. This is a strong result suggesting good build quality and fewer common defects.
How do I check the MOT history of a Mini Cooper?
Enter the vehicle's registration number in the search box at the top of this page. You will instantly see the complete MOT history including every test result, mileage readings, advisories, and dangerous defects — completely free.
What mileage should I expect on a Mini Cooper?
Typical mileage for the Mini Cooper: 31,577 miles at 3 years. Use these benchmarks when evaluating a used Cooper to spot vehicles with unusually high or low mileage.

Check Your Mini Cooper's MOT History

Enter the registration number for the full MOT history — free and instant.

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