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Fiat 500 MOT Check

MOT pass rates, common failures, and reliability data for the Fiat 500. Check any 500 by registration number below.

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72.2%

Avg Pass Rate

-12.8%

vs Fiat Avg

18

Year Ranges

Average

Reliability

Fiat 500 — MOT Reliability Overview

The Fiat 500 has an average MOT pass rate of 72.2%, which is 12.8 percentage points below the Fiat brand average of 85.0%. This is a reasonable result that reflects typical UK reliability standards. Regular servicing and addressing advisories promptly will help keep your 500 on the road.

The most common reasons a Fiat 500 fails its MOT are parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, a shock absorber bush excessively worn, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn. If you are preparing your 500 for its MOT, checking these areas first could save you a retest fee. Our detailed fault analysis includes estimated repair costs for each failure type.

Typical mileage for the 500 is around 28,000 miles at 5 years. When evaluating a used 500, compare the odometer reading against these benchmarks. Significantly lower mileage than expected could indicate a clocked vehicle — run a free mileage check to verify.

Before buying a used Fiat 500, we recommend checking the full MOT history, write-off status, outstanding finance, and stolen vehicle status. These checks can be done for free using the registration number.

MOT Pass Rate by Year

How the Fiat 500 performs at MOT across different model years.

2021

Based on 188 vehicles

92.6%Excellent
Fiat average: 85.0%
Dangerous Defects

1.1%

Retest Rate

5.4%

Mileage at 3yr

30k mi

2020

Based on 11,343 vehicles

92.6%Excellent
Fiat average: 85.0%
Dangerous Defects

2.1%

Retest Rate

7.8%

Mileage at 3yr

27k mi

Mileage at 5yr

54k mi

2019

Based on 47,599 vehicles

89.9%Excellent
Fiat average: 85.0%
Dangerous Defects

2.9%

Retest Rate

11.7%

Mileage at 3yr

26k mi

Mileage at 5yr

43k mi

2018

Based on 58,694 vehicles

85.6%Excellent
Fiat average: 85.0%
Dangerous Defects

3.7%

Retest Rate

15.8%

Mileage at 5yr

44k mi

2017

Based on 55,857 vehicles

81.6%Good
Fiat average: 85.0%
Dangerous Defects

4.6%

Retest Rate

19.8%

Mileage at 5yr

48k mi

2016

Based on 76,619 vehicles

76.5%Good
Fiat average: 85.0%
Dangerous Defects

4.8%

Retest Rate

25.2%

2015

Based on 90,757 vehicles

72.6%Average
Fiat average: 85.0%
Dangerous Defects

6.0%

Retest Rate

28.6%

Mileage at 10yr

90k mi

2014

Based on 95,822 vehicles

72.4%Average
Fiat average: 85.0%
Dangerous Defects

6.1%

Retest Rate

28.9%

Mileage at 10yr

92k mi

2013

Based on 81,771 vehicles

72.0%Average
Fiat average: 85.0%
Dangerous Defects

6.1%

Retest Rate

28.8%

Mileage at 10yr

93k mi

2012

Based on 66,290 vehicles

68.8%Average
Fiat average: 85.0%
Dangerous Defects

6.5%

Retest Rate

31.6%

Mileage at 10yr

98k mi

2011

Based on 46,633 vehicles

67.5%Average
Fiat average: 85.0%
Dangerous Defects

6.8%

Retest Rate

32.3%

2010

Based on 49,796 vehicles

64.7%Below Average
Fiat average: 85.0%
Dangerous Defects

7.7%

Retest Rate

34.6%

2009

Based on 48,111 vehicles

62.6%Below Average
Fiat average: 85.0%
Dangerous Defects

8.1%

Retest Rate

36.2%

2008

Based on 28,591 vehicles

62.8%Below Average
Fiat average: 85.0%
Dangerous Defects

7.7%

Retest Rate

35.1%

2007

Based on 55,000 vehicles

0.8%Poor
Fiat average: 85.0%
Dangerous Defects

0.0%

Retest Rate

0.1%

Mileage at 3yr

16k mi

Mileage at 5yr

28k mi

Mileage at 10yr

55k mi

2001

Based on 32 vehicles

81.3%Good
Fiat average: 85.0%
Dangerous Defects

0.0%

1972

Based on 58 vehicles

75.9%Good
Fiat average: 85.0%
Dangerous Defects

8.6%

Retest Rate

25.7%

0

Based on 384,319 vehicles

78.8%Good
Fiat average: 85.0%
Mileage at 5yr

53k mi

Top MOT Failures — Fiat 500

The most common reasons a Fiat 500 fails its MOT, aggregated across all year ranges.

1

Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement

2.9%
2

A shock absorber bush excessively worn

2.9%
3

A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn

2.6%
4

Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen

2.4%
5

Parking brake inoperative on one side

2.1%

Where Failures Occur

The areas of the vehicle most commonly flagged during MOT inspections.

Nearside

8.5%

Front Nearside

1.6%

Offside

1.6%

Typical Mileage — Fiat 500

Average mileage readings recorded at MOT tests for the 2007 model year range. Use these benchmarks to evaluate a used 500.

At 3 Years

16,000

miles

At 5 Years

28,000

miles

At 10 Years

55,000

miles

Fiat 500 — Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about the Fiat 500 MOT and reliability.

What is the MOT pass rate for the Fiat 500?
The average MOT pass rate for the Fiat 500 is 72.2% compared to the Fiat average of 85.0%. Pass rates vary by year — check the year-by-year breakdown on this page for details.
What are the most common MOT failures on a Fiat 500?
The most common MOT failures on the Fiat 500 are: Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement (2.9%), A shock absorber bush excessively worn (2.9%), A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn (2.6%). These are the components most likely to cause an MOT failure.
Is the Fiat 500 reliable?
With an average MOT pass rate of 72.2%, the Fiat 500 is rated as "Average" for reliability. This is around average — regular maintenance is recommended to avoid common failure points.
How do I check the MOT history of a Fiat 500?
Enter the vehicle's registration number in the search box at the top of this page. You will instantly see the complete MOT history including every test result, mileage readings, advisories, and dangerous defects — completely free.
What mileage should I expect on a Fiat 500?
Typical mileage for the Fiat 500: 29,605 miles at 3 years. Use these benchmarks when evaluating a used 500 to spot vehicles with unusually high or low mileage.

Check Your Fiat 500's MOT History

Enter the registration number for the full MOT history — free and instant.

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