Fiat 500E MOT pass rate & common failures
3,949 MOT tests on the Fiat 500E (2021–2023) give it a 90.0% pass rate. That is 1.6 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 8.3%. Its most common failure areas are suspension, visibility and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (5.6%) and visibility (4.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, headlamp aim and wipers — pins and bushes alone was recorded 275 times.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 18.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every 500E model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,540 | 88.0% | 11.9% | Suspension |
| 2022 | 2,376 | 91.3% | 8.7% | Suspension |
| 2023 | 33 | 90.9% | 9.1% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 5.6% | 220 |
| 2 | Visibility | 4.1% | 162 |
| 3 | Tyres | 3.1% | 121 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.4% | 95 |
| 5 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.4% | 14 |
| 6 | Brakes | 0.3% | 11 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.3% | 10 |
| 8 | Other defects | 0.1% | 6 |
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 | 275 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 121 |
| 3 | Wipers | 120 |
| 4 | Washers | 81 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 43 |
| 6 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 21 |
| 7 | Headlamp | 13 |
| 8 | Shock absorbers | 8 |
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 | 18.9% | 748 |
| 2 | Suspension | 3.7% | 145 |
| 3 | Other defects | 3.5% | 138 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.4% | 96 |
| 5 | Brakes | 0.8% | 33 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.3% | 10 |
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 | 3,495 | 8.9% |
| 30-60k | 435 | 18.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 799 | 10.8% |
| 2025 | 3,149 | 9.8% |
What to check before buying a Fiat 500E
- 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.
- Visibility (4.1% 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.
- Tyres (3.1% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Fiat 500E?
90.0% of the 3,949 Fiat 500E MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 10.0% fail rate, across model years 2021–2023.
What does the Fiat 500E most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 5.6% of tests, then visibility (4.1%).
Methodology & source. Based on 3,949 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.