2012 Fiat 500 — MOT failures & pass rate
178,211 MOT tests on the 2012 Fiat 500 are in this dataset, and 75.8% of them passed. Against city cars of a similar age (20.9% fail rate), the 2012 500 comes out 3.3pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 13.9% of tests against 10.0% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are shock absorbers, pins and bushes and headlamp aim — shock absorbers alone was recorded 15,708 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 14.4% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 27.4% once past 150k.
The petrol cars hold up better: 24.2% fail against 26.2% for diesel, a 2.0-point gap across 178,211 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 36.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 22.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 25.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 13.9% | 24,733 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 10.0% | 17,743 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.6% | 9,964 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.4% | 9,645 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.1% | 7,297 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.6% | 6,385 |
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 | 15,708 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 12,699 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 7,298 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 5,142 |
| 5 | Ball joint | 5,097 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 4,998 |
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 | 36.6% | 65,313 |
| 2 | Tyres | 29.0% | 51,700 |
| 3 | Brakes | 18.0% | 32,008 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 12.6% | 22,449 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 8.7% | 15,477 |
| 6 | Other defects | 8.3% | 14,713 |
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 | 11,461 | 14.4% |
| 30-60k | 72,620 | 22.2% |
| 60-90k | 72,593 | 26.4% |
| 90-120k | 18,801 | 28.5% |
| 120-150k | 2,265 | 29.5% |
| 150k+ | 318 | 27.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 177,661 | 24.2% |
| Diesel | 550 | 26.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 35,576 | 22.5% |
| 2022 | 36,113 | 23.8% |
| 2023 | 35,980 | 24.1% |
| 2024 | 35,787 | 25.3% |
| 2025 | 34,755 | 25.3% |
What to check before buying a 2012 500
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 13.9% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (13.9% 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 (10.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (5.6% 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 2012 Fiat 500s pass their MOT?
75.8% of the 178,211 2012 Fiat 500 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 24.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Fiat 500?
Suspension, recorded in 13.9% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (10.0%).
Does the 2012 500 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 14.4% in the 0-30k band to 27.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 178,211 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.