Fiat 500 common problems and MOT pass rate

In 2025, DVSA recorded 422,495 initial MOT tests on the Fiat 500 in Great Britain, and 68.1% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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Fiat 500 at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 422,495
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 68.1%
Failed at firstIncluding 5.1% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 31.9%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 7.9%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 13,827 off the road (SORN): 428,014

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

Failure areas

Where the 500 fails its MOT

The share of initial tests in 2025 with at least one fail or PRS item in each part of the MOT. A test can fail in more than one area, so these do not add up to the fail rate.

1Suspension
13.9%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
2Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
10.5%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
3Tyres
6.7%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
4Brakes
6.5%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
5Visibility
4.3%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
6Body, chassis and structure
3.3%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%
7Noise, emissions and leaks
3.2%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
8Steering
1.6%
Steering rack, joints and linkages, power steering, the steering wheel and columnAll cars and vans: 2.0%
9Seat belts and airbags
0.6%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%
10Registration plates and VIN
0.3%
Number plates and the vehicle identification numberAll cars and vans: 0.3%

This modelAll cars and vans

Parts

The parts that fail most

Share of initial tests with a fail or PRS item on each part, 2025.

Suspension armsSuspension6.9%
Shock absorbersSuspension4.8%
ConditionTyres4.4%
Brake performanceBrakes3.8%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics3.6%
Exhaust emissionsEmissions and leaks3.0%
Mechanical brake componentsBrakes2.7%
WashersVisibility2.6%

By age

Pass rate by year first used

Older cars fail more often, so compare a car with others of its year. Cars up to 25 years old; years with fewer than 250 tests are left out.

First used	Tests	Passed first time	Dangerous defect
2023	839	93.0%	1.8%
2022	18,059	89.3%	3.3%
2021	17,385	86.4%	4.7%
2020	15,922	85.0%	5.2%
2019	24,904	80.8%	5.4%
2018	27,627	77.1%	6.2%
2017	29,731	73.1%	6.7%
2016	48,698	68.1%	7.0%
2015	49,319	64.3%	8.4%
2014	49,007	63.1%	9.2%
2013	40,345	62.9%	9.1%
2012	29,184	61.0%	9.3%
2011	21,002	58.3%	9.5%
2010	21,146	56.5%	11.3%
2009	19,111	54.8%	12.0%
2008	9,965	54.8%	11.5%

Mileage

500 mileage by age

The median reading at the test: half the cars of that age had covered more, half less. Estimated from 1,000-mile bands, for cars up to 25 years old.

A car well above or below the typical figure is not a problem in itself, but the readings should rise steadily from one MOT to the next. A fall, or a long gap, is worth asking about.

Check a car's mileage record

Age at test	Median mileage	Readings
2 years	16,100 miles	14,217
3 years	20,100 miles	17,447
4 years	24,000 miles	15,066
5 years	29,200 miles	20,659
6 years	34,100 miles	26,440
7 years	40,500 miles	26,483
8 years	48,300 miles	40,512
9 years	54,200 miles	49,697
10 years	58,900 miles	47,678
11 years	65,100 miles	44,997
12 years	67,800 miles	33,379
13 years	71,300 miles	24,431
14 years	75,900 miles	20,294
15 years	81,200 miles	22,210
16 years	85,900 miles	12,446
17 years	89,800 miles	4,401

Checking a particular 500?

Averages tell you what to look at. The registration tells you about this car: every MOT since 2005 with its failures and advisories, each mileage reading, and whether it is taxed.

Questions

Fiat 500: common questions

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

What is the most common MOT failure on the Fiat 500?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the Fiat 500 was suspension: 13.9% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 9.0% for all cars and vans. Next came lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (10.5%) and tyres (6.7%).

What is the MOT pass rate for the Fiat 500?

68.1% of 422,495 initial MOT tests on the Fiat 500 in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 5.1% passed after small repairs made at the test station within the hour (PRS). Across all cars and vans, 72.1% passed first time.

Does a lower pass rate mean the Fiat 500 is unreliable?

Not on its own. MOT results depend on age, mileage and upkeep as much as on design, so a model with many older cars on the road will usually fail more often. The table by year compares cars of a similar age. What matters most is the record of the car you are looking at, so check its MOT history before you buy.

What counts as a dangerous defect?

One the tester judges to be a direct and immediate risk to road safety, or to have a serious impact on the environment. The car fails and should not be driven until it is repaired. 7.9% of initial tests on the Fiat 500 found at least one, against 7.3% for all cars and vans.

Where do these figures come from?

From DVSA's anonymised MOT test data for 2025, published under the Open Government Licence. We count initial tests on cars and light vans in Great Britain, as DVSA does in its own statistics: retests, appeals and abandoned tests are left out, and so are advisories and minor defects.

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