2010 Fiat 500 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 137,739 MOT tests, the 2010 Fiat 500 recorded a 73.2% pass rate. Against city cars of a similar age (24.3% fail rate), the 2010 500 comes out 2.5pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (13.8%) and lighting & signalling (13.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are shock absorbers, pins and bushes and headlamp aim — shock absorbers alone was recorded 10,195 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 30.6% versus 19.2%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 26.7% fail against 30.0% for diesel, a 3.2-point gap across 137,739 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 39.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 25.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 27.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 13.8% | 18,996 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 13.5% | 18,634 |
| 3 | Brakes | 9.8% | 13,568 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.5% | 7,524 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.5% | 6,206 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.4% | 6,011 |
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 | 10,195 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 7,227 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 7,167 |
| 4 | Rbt (sp) | 6,191 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 4,983 |
| 6 | Ball joint | 4,520 |
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 | 39.2% | 54,005 |
| 2 | Tyres | 29.1% | 40,053 |
| 3 | Brakes | 19.2% | 26,474 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 15.7% | 21,657 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 8.8% | 12,152 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 8.3% | 11,474 |
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 | 8,033 | 19.2% |
| 30-60k | 38,115 | 24.0% |
| 60-90k | 57,157 | 27.7% |
| 90-120k | 27,346 | 30.2% |
| 120-150k | 5,184 | 30.3% |
| 150k+ | 739 | 30.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 134,035 | 26.7% |
| Diesel | 3,704 | 30.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 28,279 | 25.7% |
| 2022 | 28,116 | 26.0% |
| 2023 | 27,876 | 26.8% |
| 2024 | 27,368 | 28.0% |
| 2025 | 26,100 | 27.8% |
What to check before buying a 2010 500
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 13.8% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (13.8% 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 (13.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (9.8% 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 2010 Fiat 500s pass their MOT?
73.2% of the 137,739 2010 Fiat 500 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 26.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 Fiat 500?
Suspension, recorded in 13.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (13.5%).
Does the 2010 500 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 19.2% in the 0-30k band to 30.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 137,739 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.