2015 Fiat 500 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 230,546 MOT tests, the 2015 Fiat 500 recorded a 78.9% pass rate. That is 5.6 percentage points worse than city cars of a similar age, which fail at 15.6%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
Suspension dominates the failure mix at 12.8% of all tests — 6.5 points clear of lighting & signalling, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are shock absorbers, pins and bushes and tread depth — shock absorbers alone was recorded 16,174 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 32.3% versus 14.4%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 27.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 17.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 23.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 12.8% | 29,482 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 6.3% | 14,428 |
| 3 | Tyres | 5.7% | 13,123 |
| 4 | Brakes | 4.2% | 9,719 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.2% | 9,671 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.9% | 4,329 |
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 | 16,174 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 14,932 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 7,011 |
| 4 | Coil spring | 6,871 |
| 5 | Wipers | 6,800 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 6,398 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 27.9% | 64,286 |
| 2 | Suspension | 27.0% | 62,161 |
| 3 | Brakes | 16.9% | 38,884 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.5% | 14,945 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.2% | 14,185 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 3.6% | 8,321 |
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 | 50,146 | 14.4% |
| 30-60k | 126,945 | 21.3% |
| 60-90k | 45,329 | 26.8% |
| 90-120k | 6,227 | 28.9% |
| 120-150k | 612 | 28.9% |
| 150k+ | 124 | 32.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 230,166 | 21.1% |
| Diesel | 380 | 19.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 44,423 | 17.5% |
| 2022 | 45,480 | 19.6% |
| 2023 | 46,625 | 21.6% |
| 2024 | 46,833 | 23.0% |
| 2025 | 47,185 | 23.8% |
What to check before buying a 2015 500
On a 2015 500, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 12.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (12.8% 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 (6.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.7% 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 2015 Fiat 500s pass their MOT?
78.9% of the 230,546 2015 Fiat 500 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 21.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Fiat 500?
Suspension, recorded in 12.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (6.3%).
Does the 2015 500 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 14.4% in the 0-30k band to 32.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 230,546 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.