2014 Fiat 500 — MOT failures & pass rate
245,931 MOT tests on the 2014 Fiat 500 are in this dataset, and 78.5% of them passed. That is 4.1 percentage points worse than city cars of a similar age, which fail at 17.4%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 11.8% of tests against 8.0% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, shock absorbers and headlamp aim — pins and bushes alone was recorded 18,375 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 30.0% versus 13.3%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 21.4% fail against 23.4% for diesel, a 2.0-point gap across 245,931 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 30.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 18.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 23.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 11.8% | 28,912 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 8.0% | 19,733 |
| 3 | Tyres | 5.4% | 13,196 |
| 4 | Brakes | 5.0% | 12,214 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.9% | 9,617 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.6% | 6,362 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pins and bushes | 18,375 |
| 2 | Shock absorbers | 16,075 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 9,420 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 6,907 |
| 5 | Ball joint | 5,877 |
| 6 | Wipers | 5,715 |
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 | 30.6% | 75,363 |
| 2 | Tyres | 28.5% | 70,015 |
| 3 | Brakes | 17.4% | 42,739 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.1% | 19,907 |
| 5 | Other defects | 7.1% | 17,405 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.8% | 11,812 |
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 | 32,273 | 13.3% |
| 30-60k | 130,707 | 20.7% |
| 60-90k | 68,469 | 25.4% |
| 90-120k | 11,887 | 28.1% |
| 120-150k | 1,400 | 27.9% |
| 150k+ | 160 | 30.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 242,108 | 21.4% |
| Diesel | 3,823 | 23.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 47,852 | 18.4% |
| 2022 | 49,092 | 20.3% |
| 2023 | 49,551 | 21.6% |
| 2024 | 49,794 | 23.1% |
| 2025 | 49,642 | 23.7% |
What to check before buying a 2014 500
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 11.8% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (11.8% 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 (8.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.4% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
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 2014 Fiat 500s pass their MOT?
78.5% of the 245,931 2014 Fiat 500 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 21.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Fiat 500?
Suspension, recorded in 11.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (8.0%).
Does the 2014 500 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 13.3% in the 0-30k band to 30.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 245,931 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.