Fiat 500L MOT failure rate and common faults
20,937 Fiat 500L cars aged 3 to 20 took their MOT in 2025, and 38.8% failed at the first attempt. An average car of the same age failed 30.3% of the time, which makes the Fiat 500L 28% more likely to fail than the typical car on the road. Here is what fails, and which years to look for.
38.8%
failed first time
20,937 MOT tests in 2025
+28%
vs same age average
average car of this age mix: 30.3%
192 of 208
age adjusted rank
among cars; 1 fails least
128.6
dangerous defects per 1,000
same age average: 109.0
What fails on a Fiat 500L MOT
Failure items recorded per 1,000 tests, by part of the car, set against an average car with exactly the same spread of ages. A figure well above average is a weak spot worth checking before you buy.
The most common Fiat 500L MOT failures
The individual failure items testers recorded most often, per 1,000 tests.
| Failure item | Area | Per 1,000 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Coil spring: fractured or broken | Suspension | 83.4 |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush excessively worn | Suspension | 62.8 |
| Stop lamp: not working | Lights and electrics | 43.8 |
| Parking brake efficiency: efficiency below requirements | Brakes | 39.6 |
| Track rod end: ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt | Steering | 37.7 |
| Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 35.1 |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick | Brakes | 29.6 |
| Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play | Steering | 27.2 |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction | Engine, emissions and leaks | 24.9 |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 20.4 |
Fiat 500L MOT failure rate by year
Every car fails more often as it ages, so each registration year is compared with the average for all cars of the same age. Years with fewer than 500 tests are left out.
| First registered | Tests | Failed | Same age average | Average mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 601 | 37.1% | 19.1% | 43,700 |
| 2017 | 879 | 37.7% | 21.8% | 53,200 |
| 2016 | 1,612 | 33.9% | 25.1% | 59,700 |
| 2015 | 2,976 | 37.6% | 28.1% | 69,100 |
| 2014 | 7,955 | 40.1% | 31.4% | 79,900 |
| 2013 | 5,893 | 39.9% | 34.3% | 82,500 |
Advisories to look for in a Fiat 500L's MOT history
An advisory is a tester's warning that something is wearing but has not failed yet. These are the ones written most often on the Fiat 500L, per 1,000 tests. If the car you are looking at has one of these, ask whether it has been fixed since.
- Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge283.2
- Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened186.1
- Tyres: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing170.3
- Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement98.2
- Brake pads: wearing thin91.0
- Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive69.3
Checking a used Fiat 500L before you buy
Against cars of the same age, the Fiat 500L fails more often than average on suspension, brakes and steering. Start there.
Suspension
Drive over speed bumps with the radio off and listen for knocks. Look at the car side on: a corner sitting lower than the others often means a broken coil spring.
Brakes
Look through the wheel spokes at the discs for a deep lip or scoring, check the handbrake holds the car on a slope, and feel for a pull to one side when braking hard.
Steering
With the engine running, rock the wheel gently: there should be almost no free play. Listen for knocks on full lock and look for power steering fluid leaks.
Averages only take you so far. The specific car's MOT history shows whether it has already failed on any of these, how often advisories were ignored, and whether the mileage climbs steadily from test to test. Read our guide to reading a car's MOT history before you go to view it.
Fuel mix of the Fiat 500L cars tested: Diesel 67%, Petrol 33%. Average age at test 10.7 years, average recorded mileage 74,100.
Fiat 500L MOT questions
What is the Fiat 500L MOT failure rate?
38.8% of Fiat 500L cars failed their first MOT test of 2025, from 20,937 tests on vehicles aged 3 to 20. An average car with the same age mix failed 30.3% of the time, so the Fiat 500L was 28% more likely to fail.
What fails most often on a Fiat 500L MOT?
Suspension caused the most failure items, at 203 per 1,000 tests. The single most common failure item was "Coil spring: fractured or broken", recorded 83.4 times per 1,000 tests.
Which Fiat 500L year has the best MOT record?
Measured against cars of the same age, 2013 registrations did best: 39.9% failed against an average of 34.3% for cars that age. Older cars always fail more often, so compare a year with its age group rather than with newer cars.
Does this tell me whether a particular Fiat 500L will pass?
No. These are averages across every Fiat 500L tested in 2025. The car in front of you has its own record: its full MOT history shows every pass, failure and advisory it has had, and it is free to view by registration.
Other Fiat models
- Fiat 50032.2% failed
- Fiat Panda35.5% failed
- Fiat Ducato22.5% failed
- Fiat Punto45.0% failed
- Fiat Doblo36.5% failed
- Fiat 500X27.3% failed
Ranked close to the Fiat 500L
- Peugeot 207rank 189
- Jeep Renegaderank 190
- Peugeot 2008rank 191
- MG ZSrank 193
How these figures are calculated
Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 release. We count first tests of cars and small vans (class 4) aged 3 to 20, so a car that fails and is retested is counted once. A failure includes faults fixed and passed within the same visit. The same age average weights the national failure rate for each age by how many Fiat 500L cars of that age were tested, so a model is never penalised for having an older fleet. Make and model are as recorded at the test; trim levels are combined. Full method and rankings.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.