2010 Fiat 500C — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2010 Fiat 500C passed 72.3% of its 10,120 recorded MOT tests. Against city cars of a similar age (24.3% fail rate), the 2010 500C comes out 3.4pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (15.0%) and lighting & signalling (14.4%) 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 951 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 35.0% versus 19.2%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.0pp more often than petrol ones (30.5% vs 27.5%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 40.8% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 15.0% | 1,516 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 14.4% | 1,457 |
| 3 | Brakes | 9.2% | 926 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.8% | 583 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.8% | 485 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.4% | 445 |
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 | 951 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 580 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 476 |
| 4 | Rbt (sp) | 446 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 394 |
| 6 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 350 |
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 | 40.8% | 4,131 |
| 2 | Tyres | 29.0% | 2,933 |
| 3 | Brakes | 20.4% | 2,069 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 14.7% | 1,490 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 12.6% | 1,270 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 7.7% | 775 |
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 | 563 | 19.2% |
| 30-60k | 3,022 | 25.3% |
| 60-90k | 4,237 | 29.4% |
| 90-120k | 1,791 | 29.5% |
| 120-150k | 361 | 30.2% |
| 150k+ | 60 | 35.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 9,586 | 27.5% |
| Diesel | 534 | 30.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,066 | 27.4% |
| 2022 | 2,073 | 26.8% |
| 2023 | 2,027 | 27.2% |
| 2024 | 1,999 | 28.5% |
| 2025 | 1,955 | 28.7% |
What to check before buying a 2010 500C
On a 2010 500C, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 15.0% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (15.0% 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 (14.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (9.2% 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 500Cs pass their MOT?
72.3% of the 10,120 2010 Fiat 500C MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 27.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 Fiat 500C?
Suspension, recorded in 15.0% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (14.4%).
Does the 2010 500C get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 19.2% in the 0-30k band to 35.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 10,120 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.