2018 Abarth 124 Spider Multiair — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2018 Abarth 124 Spider Multiair passed 92.9% of its 4,815 recorded MOT tests. Against all cars of a similar age (11.0% fail rate), the 2018 124 Spider Multiair comes out 3.9pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (3.5%) and brakes (2.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, wipers and position lamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 101 times.
A 60-90k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 20.4% versus 5.1%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 15.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 4.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 11.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 3.5% | 167 |
| 2 | Brakes | 2.0% | 96 |
| 3 | Visibility | 2.0% | 95 |
| 4 | Tyres | 1.8% | 89 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.8% | 40 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.7% | 33 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 101 |
| 2 | Wipers | 82 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 69 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 43 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 41 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 41 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 15.1% | 728 |
| 2 | Brakes | 13.6% | 657 |
| 3 | Suspension | 3.7% | 180 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.6% | 126 |
| 5 | Other defects | 2.1% | 100 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.7% | 81 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 3,570 | 5.1% |
| 30-60k | 1,133 | 12.2% |
| 60-90k | 103 | 20.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 946 | 4.7% |
| 2022 | 985 | 6.7% |
| 2023 | 965 | 6.2% |
| 2024 | 934 | 6.8% |
| 2025 | 985 | 11.2% |
What to check before buying a 2018 124 Spider Multiair
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 3.5% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (3.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (2.0% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Visibility (2.0% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2018 Abarth 124 Spider Multiairs pass their MOT?
92.9% of the 4,815 2018 Abarth 124 Spider Multiair MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Abarth 124 Spider Multiair?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 3.5% of tests, followed by brakes (2.0%).
Does the 2018 124 Spider Multiair get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.1% in the 0-30k band to 20.4% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,815 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.