2017 Fiat Benimar — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2017 Fiat Benimar passed 94.3% of its 730 recorded MOT tests. Against all cars of a similar age (12.7% fail rate), the 2017 Benimar comes out 7.0pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and seat belts & restraints.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (5.6%) and visibility (2.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, outline marker lamp and headlamp aim — wipers alone was recorded 25 times.
The trend is worsening — 3.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 8.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 5.6% | 41 |
| 2 | Visibility | 2.9% | 21 |
| 3 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.7% | 5 |
| 4 | Suspension | 0.5% | 4 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.5% | 4 |
| 6 | Brakes | 0.5% | 4 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 25 |
| 2 | Outline marker lamp | 18 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 9 |
| 4 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 6 |
| 5 | Washers | 5 |
| 6 | All outline marker lamps | 4 |
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 | 6.0% | 44 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.1% | 37 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 4.7% | 34 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.4% | 25 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.2% | 9 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.0% | 7 |
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 | 670 | 5.7% |
| 30-60k | 59 | 6.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 146 | 3.4% |
| 2022 | 143 | 4.9% |
| 2023 | 148 | 4.7% |
| 2024 | 142 | 7.0% |
| 2025 | 151 | 8.6% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Benimar
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 5.6% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (5.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (2.9% 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.
- Seat belts & restraints (0.7% of tests): Belt damage or faulty pretensioners — usually straightforward but safety-critical. Typical repair: £50–£300.
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 Benimars pass their MOT?
94.3% of the 730 2017 Fiat Benimar MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 5.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Fiat Benimar?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 5.6% of tests, followed by visibility (2.9%).
Does the 2017 Benimar get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.7% in the 0-30k band to 6.8% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 730 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.