2009 Fiat 500 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2009 Fiat 500 passed 71.8% of its 133,471 recorded MOT tests. Against city cars of a similar age (25.8% fail rate), the 2009 500 comes out 2.5pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (15.6%) and lighting & signalling (13.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are shock absorbers, rbt (sp) and pins and bushes — shock absorbers alone was recorded 11,101 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 32.3% versus 18.1%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 28.1% fail against 30.2% for diesel, a 2.1-point gap across 133,471 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 43.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 27.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 28.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 15.6% | 20,824 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 13.1% | 17,473 |
| 3 | Brakes | 12.1% | 16,187 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.4% | 7,192 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.7% | 6,288 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.7% | 6,280 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shock absorbers | 11,101 |
| 2 | Rbt (sp) | 8,263 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 7,519 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 6,973 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 5,076 |
| 6 | Washers | 4,363 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 43.2% | 57,667 |
| 2 | Tyres | 29.0% | 38,739 |
| 3 | Brakes | 20.3% | 27,109 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 15.9% | 21,225 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 10.3% | 13,757 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 8.6% | 11,507 |
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 | 6,124 | 18.1% |
| 30-60k | 30,175 | 25.4% |
| 60-90k | 54,378 | 28.9% |
| 90-120k | 32,836 | 30.7% |
| 120-150k | 7,752 | 31.3% |
| 150k+ | 1,593 | 32.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 126,527 | 28.1% |
| Diesel | 6,944 | 30.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 27,769 | 27.4% |
| 2022 | 27,568 | 27.6% |
| 2023 | 27,177 | 28.3% |
| 2024 | 26,355 | 29.2% |
| 2025 | 24,602 | 28.9% |
What to check before buying a 2009 500
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 15.6% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (15.6% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Lighting & signalling (13.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (12.1% 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.
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 2009 Fiat 500s pass their MOT?
71.8% of the 133,471 2009 Fiat 500 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 28.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2009 Fiat 500?
Suspension, recorded in 15.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (13.1%).
Does the 2009 500 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 18.1% in the 0-30k band to 32.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 133,471 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.