2012 Mitsubishi ASX diesel: common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2012 Mitsubishi ASX diesel?

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

• Rigid brake pipes4× usual
  Mitsubishi ASX

  20.2% All 2012 cars

  5%

  Failed outright at MOT: 3.3%, against 0.8% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

  Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

  At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.

• Sub-frame3× usual
  Mitsubishi ASX

  10.4% All 2012 cars

  3.5%

  Failed outright at MOT: 0.3%, 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.

• Shock absorbers2.1× usual
  Mitsubishi ASX

  12.3% All 2012 cars

  5.8%

  Failed outright at MOT: 3.8%, 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.

• Exhaust system2.2× usual
  Mitsubishi ASX

  10.8% All 2012 cars

  5%

  Failed outright at MOT: 4.5%, against 1.4% 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.

• Track rod ends2.3× usual
  Mitsubishi ASX

  9.9% All 2012 cars

  4.3%

  Failed outright at MOT: 4.7%, against 2.2% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

  Rough price £50–£150 (one end, plus about £30–£50 if it needs a wheel alignment) ClickMechanic

  At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.

Common 2012 Mitsubishi ASX diesel MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2012 Mitsubishi ASX diesel 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.

• Brakes
  43% 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.

• Tyres
  29% 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
  18% 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
  12% 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.

• 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 Mitsubishi ASX 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.

• Sticking brake pedal and stalling recalls (built 2010 to 2012)

  Built 2010 to 2012

  The brake pedal could stick on cars built Aug 2010 to July 2012 (new brake booster), and engines could stall on cars built Apr 2010 to June 2012 (ECU reprogram).

  At the viewing: Ask a Mitsubishi dealer to confirm both recalls were done.

  Source: What Car?: used Mitsubishi ASX (2010 on) reliability

• Tailgate struts, wipers, door locks and ECU relay recalls

  Built 2010 to 2016

  Recalls also covered corroding tailgate struts (built 2010 to 2014), seizing wiper mechanisms (built 2013 to 2016), door locks in hot weather (2015 to 2016) and an overheating ECU relay (Dec 2014 to Apr 2016).

  At the viewing: Ask for proof the recalls were done, and check the tailgate stays up.

  Source: What Car?: used Mitsubishi ASX (2010 on) reliability

• Glass roof rattles

  Cars with a glass roof

  Tabs around the glass roof can come unstuck in hot weather and rattle.

  At the viewing: Listen around the roof on a rough road.

  Source: What Car?: used Mitsubishi ASX (2010 on) reliability

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2012 Mitsubishi ASX diesel

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

1. Have the brake booster and stalling recalls been done?
2. Any recent work on the rigid brake pipes? (Flagged at MOT 4× as often on the 2012 Mitsubishi ASX diesel as on other cars the same age.)
3. Any recent work on the sub-frame? (Flagged at MOT 3× as often on the 2012 Mitsubishi ASX diesel as on other cars the same age.)
4. Any recent work on the shock absorbers? (Flagged at MOT 2.1× as often on the 2012 Mitsubishi ASX diesel as on other cars the same age.)
5. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?