2013 Vauxhall Mokka 1.6L Petrol · SC62 UAM

A clear pattern of electrical and lighting failures on this 2013 Vauxhall Mokka dominates its MOT history, with headlamp and wiper defects appearing across multiple tests and ultimately causing two separate failures in 2021 and 2024. The most recent test on 22 August 2025 recorded a straightforward pass with no advisories, suggesting the lighting faults and registration plate issues identified the previous year were rectified, but the underlying weaknesses remain a concern. Across eight recorded tests there are two failures, both linked to the same family of electrical and visibility-related components rather than structural or mechanical wear items. The 2024 test in particular showed a cluster of main beam headlamp failures, a defective headlamp levelling device, and misaligned headlamp aim on the nearside, all of which point to a recurring front-end electrical or housing integrity issue on this vehicle. Annual mileage of roughly 3,685 miles against a thirteen-year vehicle age is markedly below the typical accumulation rate, and the recorded tests show some irregularity in usage, with gaps between the 2018 and 2020 tests and again between 2022 and 2024. This low and intermittent usage pattern is mechanically relevant: standing periods allow brake discs to surface corrode, can dry out rubber suspension bushes leading to cracking on first movement, and accelerate ageing of electrical connectors and headlamp reflector coatings. The only brake-related advisory in the record, noted on both the failed and passed tests in June 2024, reported the front brake discs as worn, pitted, or scored but not seriously weakened, a finding that is consistent with light use combined with surface corrosion rather than pad wear. For a prospective buyer, the priority items to examine are exactly those that have failed or been flagged on this car. On a test drive, check that both main beam headlamps illuminate correctly and that the headlamp levelling device responds smoothly across its range without sticking or motor whine, as this Mokka has now shown two separate incidents of main beam failure on both sides. Operate the front wipers across all speeds and on intermittent, listening for sluggish movement or smearing arcs that fail to clear the screen, since both front wiper mechanisms failed in 2021. Inspect the exhaust flex joint and front section for soot staining, hissing on cold start, or any ticking that worsens with engine speed, given the recorded major exhaust gas leak at the flex pipe. Finally, on a road test feel for any vibration through the brake pedal or steering wheel under light braking, which would indicate the pitted front discs have now reached a serviceable limit, and listen for knocks or clonks from the front suspension over bumps that could indicate perished bushes from extended low-mileage standing.