2011 Fiat 500 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2011 Fiat 500 passed 74.6% of its 132,245 recorded MOT tests. City cars of a similar age fail 22.6% of the time, so this is 2.7pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (13.4%) and lighting & signalling (13.0%) 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 10,599 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 29.1% versus 15.9%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 25.4% of the time against 25.8% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 36.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 24.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 26.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 13.4% | 17,759 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 13.0% | 17,247 |
| 3 | Brakes | 6.1% | 8,041 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.4% | 7,166 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.7% | 6,240 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.1% | 5,477 |
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 | 10,599 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 8,550 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 6,689 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 4,992 |
| 5 | Washers | 3,795 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 3,724 |
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 | 36.1% | 47,796 |
| 2 | Tyres | 28.6% | 37,858 |
| 3 | Brakes | 18.2% | 24,110 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 15.1% | 19,994 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 9.3% | 12,302 |
| 6 | Other defects | 8.1% | 10,694 |
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 | 7,610 | 15.9% |
| 30-60k | 44,800 | 23.2% |
| 60-90k | 56,489 | 26.9% |
| 90-120k | 19,519 | 28.7% |
| 120-150k | 3,201 | 30.1% |
| 150k+ | 467 | 29.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 131,445 | 25.4% |
| Diesel | 800 | 25.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 26,709 | 24.0% |
| 2022 | 26,993 | 24.9% |
| 2023 | 26,716 | 25.3% |
| 2024 | 26,407 | 26.3% |
| 2025 | 25,420 | 26.4% |
What to check before buying a 2011 500
On a 2011 500, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 13.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (13.4% 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 (13.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (6.1% 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 2011 Fiat 500s pass their MOT?
74.6% of the 132,245 2011 Fiat 500 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 25.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 Fiat 500?
Suspension, recorded in 13.4% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (13.0%).
Does the 2011 500 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 15.9% in the 0-30k band to 29.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 132,245 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.