Fiat Punto MOT failure rate and common faults
52,919 Fiat Punto cars aged 3 to 20 took their MOT in 2025, and 45.0% failed at the first attempt. An average car of the same age failed 38.1% of the time, which makes the Fiat Punto 18% more likely to fail than the typical car on the road. Here is what fails, and which years to look for.
45.0%
failed first time
52,919 MOT tests in 2025
+18%
vs same age average
average car of this age mix: 38.1%
175 of 208
age adjusted rank
among cars; 1 fails least
128.6
dangerous defects per 1,000
same age average: 132.6
What fails on a Fiat Punto 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 Punto MOT failures
The individual failure items testers recorded most often, per 1,000 tests.
| Failure item | Area | Per 1,000 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Position lamp: not working | Lights and electrics | 74.8 |
| Stop lamp: not working | Lights and electrics | 56.3 |
| Coil spring: fractured or broken | Suspension | 54.2 |
| Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect | Lights and electrics | 51.6 |
| Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases | Body, chassis, exhaust and drive shafts | 46.5 |
| Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits | Engine, emissions and leaks | 46.2 |
| Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 38.2 |
| Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play | Steering | 35.3 |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 33.3 |
| Parking brake efficiency: efficiency below requirements | Brakes | 32.9 |
Fiat Punto 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 1,235 | 36.4% | 21.8% | 46,300 |
| 2016 | 1,681 | 35.3% | 25.1% | 53,200 |
| 2015 | 2,444 | 37.0% | 28.1% | 61,400 |
| 2014 | 3,551 | 43.0% | 31.4% | 70,300 |
| 2013 | 4,153 | 44.5% | 34.3% | 75,500 |
| 2012 | 5,625 | 43.5% | 36.6% | 79,300 |
| 2011 | 5,183 | 44.7% | 38.8% | 85,800 |
| 2010 | 6,379 | 46.7% | 40.7% | 88,900 |
| 2009 | 4,843 | 44.9% | 41.8% | 86,400 |
| 2008 | 5,158 | 47.5% | 42.9% | 92,100 |
| 2007 | 6,787 | 49.4% | 42.7% | 90,300 |
| 2006 | 4,349 | 48.8% | 43.0% | 88,600 |
| 2005 | 1,220 | 44.8% | 42.4% | 77,300 |
Advisories to look for in a Fiat Punto'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 Punto, per 1,000 tests. If the car you are looking at has one of these, ask whether it has been fixed since.
- Coil spring: corroded300.2
- Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge295.5
- Tyres: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing205.4
- Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive144.4
- Exhaust system: has a minor leak of exhaust gases114.6
- Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened111.4
Checking a used Fiat Punto before you buy
Against cars of the same age, the Fiat Punto fails more often than average on lights and electrics, engine, emissions and leaks and body, chassis, exhaust and drive shafts. Start there.
Lights and electrics
Walk round the car with every light on: headlights on dip and main beam, indicators, brake lights, fog lights and the number plate lamp. A pattern of electrical faults costs more than a bulb.
Engine, emissions and leaks
Start the car from cold and watch the exhaust for smoke, look underneath for oil or fuel leaks, and make sure the engine warning light comes on with the ignition and goes out once the engine runs.
Body, chassis, exhaust and drive shafts
Turn the steering to full lock and look behind each front wheel: the rubber boots on the drive shafts should be whole, with no grease sprayed around. Then get down with a torch and check the exhaust hangers, sills, floor and subframes for rust.
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 Punto cars tested: Petrol 97%, Diesel 3%. Average age at test 14.7 years, average recorded mileage 81,400.
Fiat Punto MOT questions
What is the Fiat Punto MOT failure rate?
45.0% of Fiat Punto cars failed their first MOT test of 2025, from 52,919 tests on vehicles aged 3 to 20. An average car with the same age mix failed 38.1% of the time, so the Fiat Punto was 18% more likely to fail.
What fails most often on a Fiat Punto MOT?
Lights and electrics caused the most failure items, at 422 per 1,000 tests. The single most common failure item was "Position lamp: not working", recorded 74.8 times per 1,000 tests.
Which Fiat Punto year has the best MOT record?
Measured against cars of the same age, 2005 registrations did best: 44.8% failed against an average of 42.4% 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 Punto will pass?
No. These are averages across every Fiat Punto 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 Doblo36.5% failed
- Fiat 500X27.3% failed
- Fiat 500L38.8% failed
Ranked close to the Fiat Punto
- Nissan Pulsarrank 172
- Renault Twingorank 173
- Tesla Model 3rank 174
- Nissan Jukerank 176
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 Punto 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.