Fiat 500 MOT pass rate and common failures

70% of Fiat 500 MOTs passed first time, below the 73% for all cars at the same ages.

70%passed first time (cars its age: 73%)
2.6mFiat 500 MOTs counted since May 2018
3,500typical miles a year at 10 years old

First-time pass rate by year registered

Each year's Fiat 500s against every car first registered the same year, at the same ages. Newer cars have only had their first few MOTs, so they look better. Years with fewer than 5,000 MOTs are left out.

Share of MOTs passed first time, by year first registered. All cars: every car first registered that year, at the same ages.
Registered	500	All cars	MOTs
2023	90%	88%	7k
2022	89%	88%	23k
2021	87%	86%	37k
2020	85%	86%	54k
2019	84%	85%	104k
2018	82%	83%	138k
2017	80%	82%	161k
2016	76%	80%	247k
2015	72%	78%	313k
2014	70%	74%	345k
2013	68%	71%	297k
2012	64%	68%	235k
2011	61%	65%	173k
2010	59%	62%	174k
2009	56%	61%	168k
2008	55%	59%	97k

Compare two years of the 500, age for age.

First-time pass rate by age

Share of MOTs at each age that passed first time. Ages with fewer than 10,000 Fiat 500 MOTs are left out.

Commonest reasons for failure

Suspension arm pin or bush excessively wornOther cars its age: 1.04.3
Shock absorbers has an excessively worn bushOther cars its age: 0.12.8
Wiper does not clear the windscreenOther cars its age: 2.22.6
Shock absorber has a serious fluid leakOther cars its age: 0.82.4
Tyre tread below the legal limitOther cars its age: 2.52.3
Suspension ball joint excessively wornOther cars its age: 1.22.0
Windscreen washer gives too little liquidOther cars its age: 1.31.9
Parking brake efficiency too lowOther cars its age: 1.01.8

Out of every 100 Fiat 500 MOTs, against other cars at the same ages.

Where it comes up more than other cars its age

Coil spring corrodedAdvisory. Other cars its age: 1.96.3
Exhaust has a minor leakAdvisory. Other cars its age: 1.35.7
Shock absorber misting oilAdvisory. Other cars its age: 1.74.8
Suspension arm pin or bush excessively wornFail. Other cars its age: 1.04.3
Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bushAdvisory. Other cars its age: 0.24.1
Shock absorbers has an excessively worn bushFail. Other cars its age: 0.12.8

Out of every 100 Fiat 500 MOTs. Only items noted well above other cars of the same ages.

Miles a year

Typical miles a year between one MOT and the next: 4,500 at 3 years old, 3,500 at 18. Rounded to the nearest 1,000.

Counted from DVSA records of 286,058,652 MOTs, 20 May 2018 to 18 October 2026. A test and its retests count as one MOT, and a fail put right at the test counts as a first-time fail, as the DVSA counts it. About Fiat 500s in general, not a prediction for any one car. Spotted a mistake? Email fuzzyreguk@gmail.com.

Check a Fiat 500's MOT history

Every test and advisory, free, from the registration.