Used car guide

2012 Fiat Punto diesel: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the diesel Fiat Punto first registered in 2012 (diesel cars only): we looked at the 594 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

594MOTs of 2012 diesel cars, done in 2023–2025
64%pass first time (all 2012 cars: 64%)
7,800typical miles a year
1.9×the usual rate for coil springs

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2012 Fiat Punto diesel?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2012 Fiat Punto diesel than on all cars registered in 2012.

  • Coil springs1.9× usual
    Fiat Punto
    16.3% All 2012 cars
    8.4%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.2%, against 3.8% 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.

  • Engine oil leaks2.3× usual
    Fiat Punto
    13.5% All 2012 cars
    5.9%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.2%, against 0.1% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £80–£600 our estimate

    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.

  • Individual direction indicators3.5× usual
    Fiat Punto
    10.1% All 2012 cars
    2.9%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.9%, against 1.1% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

  • Shock absorbers2× usual
    Fiat Punto
    11.6% All 2012 cars
    5.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4%, against 1.5% 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.

  • Sub-frame2.4× usual
    Fiat Punto
    8.2% All 2012 cars
    3.4%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.5%, against 0.2% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

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

Better than most

Suspension arm bushes and joints: 3.5% here, against 9% of all 2012 cars.

Common 2012 Fiat Punto diesel MOT failures and advisories

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

  • Suspension
    38% 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
    35% 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
    28% 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
    27% 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
    14% 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.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    8% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

Known faults on the 2012 Fiat Punto diesel

Reported by owners, mechanics and buying guides for this model and age. Check which engine the car has, as some apply to one engine only.

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2012 Fiat Punto diesel

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Has it had any cooling or head gasket work?
  2. Any recent work on the coil springs? (Flagged at MOT 1.9× as often on the 2012 Fiat Punto diesel as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the engine oil leaks? (Flagged at MOT 2.3× as often on the 2012 Fiat Punto diesel as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Any recent work on the individual direction indicators? (Flagged at MOT 3.5× as often on the 2012 Fiat Punto diesel as on other cars the same age.)
  5. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Fiat Punto?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

Every year of the Fiat Punto compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2018937Tyres 27%
20173,709Tyres 31%
20165,041Tyres 31%
20157,359Tyres 33%
201410,901Suspension 40%
201313,056Suspension 42%
201117,315Suspension 45%
201018,670Suspension 51%
20095,707Suspension 50%
200816,962Suspension 50%
200727,019Suspension 52%
200618,489Suspension 54%
20055,048Suspension 52%
20046,713Suspension 55%
20033,913Suspension 50%
20022,338Suspension 47%
20011,022Suspension 41%
2000412Suspension 50%
1999238Suspension 39%
1998283Brakes 35%
1997174Suspension 39%
1996140Brakes 38%
1995141Brakes 39%
1994–Too few tests

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of Fiat Punto cars first registered in 2012. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score