Fiat Barchetta MOT pass rate & common failures
The Fiat Barchetta appears in 2,708 MOT tests spanning model years 1984–2020, and 77.6% of them passed. Against all cars of a similar age (25.8% fail rate), the Barchetta comes out 3.5pp better. Its most common failure areas are brakes, lighting & signalling and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (10.2%) and lighting & signalling (9.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are rbt (sp), headlamp aim and catalyst emissions — rbt (sp) alone was recorded 151 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 33.6% versus 13.7%.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 25.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 23.4% in 2021 to 21.4% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Barchetta model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 115 | 75.6% | 24.3% | Brakes |
| 1996 | 254 | 74.8% | 25.2% | Brakes |
| 1997 | 377 | 75.3% | 24.7% | Brakes |
| 1998 | 482 | 76.6% | 23.4% | Brakes |
| 1999 | 415 | 81.0% | 19.0% | Brakes |
| 2000 | 312 | 77.9% | 22.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 168 | 75.6% | 24.4% | Seat belts & restraints |
| 2002 | 69 | 72.5% | 27.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 100 | 81.0% | 19.0% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 2004 | 157 | 81.5% | 18.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 206 | 82.5% | 17.5% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 10.2% | 277 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 9.4% | 254 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.8% | 211 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 4.5% | 123 |
| 5 | Seat belts & restraints | 4.4% | 119 |
| 6 | Suspension | 4.1% | 112 |
| 7 | Visibility | 3.7% | 101 |
| 8 | Tyres | 1.8% | 50 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rbt (sp) | 151 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 143 |
| 3 | Catalyst emissions | 128 |
| 4 | Joints | 109 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 95 |
| 6 | Service brake imbalance | 90 |
| 7 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 75 |
| 8 | Prescribed areas | 73 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 25.5% | 690 |
| 2 | Suspension | 21.4% | 579 |
| 3 | Tyres | 13.0% | 351 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 12.3% | 332 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 10.2% | 276 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 6.5% | 176 |
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 | 233 | 13.7% |
| 30-60k | 849 | 17.7% |
| 60-90k | 874 | 24.0% |
| 90-120k | 442 | 25.6% |
| 120-150k | 189 | 31.8% |
| 150k+ | 119 | 33.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 614 | 23.4% |
| 2022 | 569 | 23.0% |
| 2023 | 533 | 21.4% |
| 2024 | 511 | 22.3% |
| 2025 | 481 | 21.4% |
What to check before buying a Fiat Barchetta
- Brakes (10.2% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (9.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (7.8% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
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 Barchetta?
77.6% of the 2,708 Fiat Barchetta MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 22.4% fail rate, across model years 1984–2020.
What does the Fiat Barchetta most often fail its MOT on?
Brakes, recorded in 10.2% of tests, then lighting & signalling (9.4%).
How much does mileage affect Barchetta MOT results?
Fail rates run at 13.7% for cars in the 0-30k band and 33.6% for 150k+, a 19.9-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,708 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.