Fiat 500 Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Fiat 500 fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 574,863 MOT tests across 15 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: small family car | Fuel: Petrol, Diesel
79%
Fiat 500 pass rate
83%
Fiat average
82%
All-model average
The Fiat 500 has an average MOT pass rate of 79%, which is 4 points below the Fiat average and 3 points below the average across all models in our data. Newer Fiat 500s pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 11 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Fiat 500 Fails Its MOT On
Of the 102,959 MOT tests on the Fiat 500 that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Suspension
47%Cars and vans the same age: 34% (the 500 fails on this more often) · Typical repair £150-£600
Lights and electrics
34%Cars and vans the same age: 38% · Typical repair £15-£200
Brakes
22%Cars and vans the same age: 22% · Typical repair £80-£450
Tyres
20%Cars and vans the same age: 22% · Typical repair £50-£300
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
14%Cars and vans the same age: 15% · Typical repair £10-£350
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (16% of failed tests, suspension)
- Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (8.9% of failed tests, suspension)
- Shock absorber bush excessively worn (8.8% of failed tests, suspension)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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Fiat 500 Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each 500 year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
Passed more often than cars their age
No year passed 3 or more points more often than other cars of the same age.
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
Fiat 500 Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
| Year | Fuel | Engine | Pass Rate | Fail Rate | All Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Petrol | 1.2L | 93% | 7% | - |
| 2020 | Petrol | 0.9L | 92% | 7% | 92% (0) |
| 2019 | Petrol | 0.9L | 90% | 10% | 91% (-1) |
| 2018 | Petrol | 0.9L | 86% | 13% | 89% (-3) |
| 2017 | Diesel | 1.2L | 83% | 16% | 87% (-4) |
| 2016 | Diesel | 1.2L | 80% | 19% | 86% (-6) |
| 2015 | Petrol | 0.9L | 78% | 22% | 84% (-6) |
| 2014 | Diesel | 1.2L | 78% | 22% | 82% (-4) |
| 2013 | Diesel | 1.2L | 78% | 22% | 80% (-2) |
| 2012 | Diesel | 1.2L | 76% | 24% | 79% (-3) |
| 2011 | Petrol | 0.9L | 75% | 24% | 77% (-2) |
| 2010 | Diesel | 1.2L | 73% | 26% | 75% (-2) |
| 2009 | Diesel | 1.2L | 72% | 27% | 75% (-3) |
| 2008 | Diesel | 1.2L | 72% | 27% | 74% (-2) |
| 2007 | Diesel | 1.2L | 72% | 27% | - |
Fiat 500 Running Costs
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Fiat 500 FAQ
What are the most common Fiat 500 problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Fiat 500 that failed at the first attempt most often failed on suspension (47% of the 102,959 failed tests), lights and electrics (34%) and brakes (22%). The single most common fault was "Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn" (16%). Across 574,863 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 79% ended in a pass.
Is the Fiat 500 reliable?
The Fiat 500 has an average MOT pass rate of 79%, from 574,863 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed 3 points less often on average, so check the history of any example carefully.
Which Fiat 500 years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2015 (78% of 69,392 tests passed, against 84% for all 2015 cars), the 2016 (80% of 56,821 tests passed, against 86% for all 2016 cars) and the 2014 (78% of 73,839 tests passed, against 82% for all 2014 cars) failed their MOT most often for their age. A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common Fiat 500 faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Fiat 500 typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
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Other Fiat Models
Common problems pages for other Fiat models