2017 Fiat 500C — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 9,046 MOT tests, the 2017 Fiat 500C recorded an 86.7% pass rate. Against city cars of a similar age (11.7% fail rate), the 2017 500C comes out 1.6pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (5.6%) and tyres (4.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are shock absorbers, wipers and pins and bushes — shock absorbers alone was recorded 453 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.7% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 20.4% once past 90-120k — 2.3× the risk.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 25.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 8.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 16.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 5.6% | 506 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.5% | 410 |
| 3 | Visibility | 4.3% | 388 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.9% | 258 |
| 5 | Brakes | 2.4% | 216 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.8% | 73 |
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 | 453 |
| 2 | Wipers | 342 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 234 |
| 4 | Washers | 137 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 128 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 123 |
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 | 25.1% | 2,274 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.4% | 1,570 |
| 3 | Suspension | 15.8% | 1,429 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.5% | 584 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.0% | 274 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.4% | 218 |
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 | 4,637 | 8.7% |
| 30-60k | 3,673 | 17.0% |
| 60-90k | 667 | 24.6% |
| 90-120k | 54 | 20.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 8,966 | 13.3% |
| Diesel | 80 | 20.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,741 | 8.9% |
| 2022 | 1,775 | 11.0% |
| 2023 | 1,819 | 14.0% |
| 2024 | 1,839 | 16.0% |
| 2025 | 1,872 | 16.4% |
What to check before buying a 2017 500C
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 5.6% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (5.6% 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.
- Tyres (4.5% 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.
- Visibility (4.3% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
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 2017 Fiat 500Cs pass their MOT?
86.7% of the 9,046 2017 Fiat 500C MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Fiat 500C?
Suspension, recorded in 5.6% of tests, followed by tyres (4.5%).
Does the 2017 500C get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.7% in the 0-30k band to 20.4% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 9,046 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.