Know Your MOT
19.7%fail rate

Fiat 500f common MOT failures and failure rate

What a Fiat 500f fails its MOT on, from real DVSA test data, and the part that resolves each item.

Based on 61 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 19.7% of MOT tests recorded on the Fiat 500f in DVSA data end in a failure. The same handful of items account for most of them.

Its most common failure is lamps & electrical, which makes up 75.0% of the Fiat 500f's failures, followed by lamps & electrical, visibility/wipers, other, brakes. Each item below links to the part that resolves it. Confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying, and have safety-critical work done by a competent mechanic.

What it fails on, and why

Lamps & electrical75.0% of failures

Lighting is the single most common MOT failure and the cheapest to put right. A blown headlight, brake-light or number-plate bulb, a cracked lens, or a headlamp beam that points too high or low will all fail. Most are a two-minute bulb swap.

Visibility/wipers50.0% of failures

Visibility failures include torn or smearing wiper blades, a washer jet that does not reach the screen, and chips or cracks in the driver's swept area. Blades and washer fluid are quick, cheap fixes.

Other41.7% of failures

This covers a range of smaller items, from a non-working horn to a warning light left on.

Brakes33.3% of failures

Brake failures cover worn pads and discs, an imbalance between wheels, corroded or scored discs, or a binding caliper. Braking efficiency is measured on a rolling road, so a spongy or pulling brake shows up as a low reading.

Steering25.0% of failures

Steering faults are typically worn track-rod ends or ball joints, play in the rack, or a split gaiter letting grease out and dirt in. Excessive free play at the wheel fails.

Seat belts25.0% of failures

Seat-belt failures are frays, cuts, corroded anchorages, or a belt that will not lock under a sharp pull or retract properly.

The parts that fix each

If your car has just failed, you have 10 working days to fix the items and get a free partial retest. These are the usual parts; confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying.

For the lamps & electrical failure: Fiat 500f headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for Fiat 500f headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind Fiat 500f headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the visibility/wipers failure: Fiat 500f wiper bladesSearch Amazon for Fiat 500f wiper bladesaffiliate searchFind Fiat 500f wiper blades on eBayaffiliate
For the brakes failure: Fiat 500f brake pads and discsSearch Amazon for Fiat 500f brake pads and discsaffiliate searchFind Fiat 500f brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the steering failure: Fiat 500f steering track rod endsSearch Amazon for Fiat 500f steering track rod endsaffiliate searchFind Fiat 500f steering track rod ends on eBayaffiliate
For the seat belts failure: Fiat 500f seat beltsSearch Amazon for Fiat 500f seat beltsaffiliate searchFind Fiat 500f seat belts on eBayaffiliate

Other models

Fiat Punto MOT failures31.5% failure rateFiat 500 MOT failures23.2% failure rateFiat Ducato MOT failures24.8% failure rateFord Fiesta MOT failures27.1% failure rate

Sources: DVSA MOT History API: MOT test results and defect data ยท DVSA MOT testing data for Great Britain