Fiat Bessacarr MOT pass rate & common failures
2,239 MOT tests on the Fiat Bessacarr (1998–2020) give it a 91.8% pass rate. That is 9.3 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 17.5%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (5.5%) and visibility (2.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and outline marker lamp — wipers alone was recorded 67 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 5.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 29.6% once past 60-90k — 5.1× the risk.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 8.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 7.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 10.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Bessacarr model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 31 | 61.3% | 38.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 44 | 81.8% | 18.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 39 | 69.2% | 30.8% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 2006 | 35 | 91.4% | 8.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 45 | 84.4% | 15.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 41 | 82.9% | 17.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 44 | 90.9% | 9.1% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2010 | 37 | 89.2% | 10.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 48 | 89.6% | 10.4% | Suspension |
| 2012 | 44 | 90.9% | 9.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 170 | 94.7% | 5.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 234 | 95.3% | 4.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 240 | 90.4% | 9.6% | Visibility |
| 2016 | 747 | 95.2% | 4.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2017 | 360 | 92.8% | 7.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2018 | 36 | 100.0% | 0.0% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 5.5% | 124 |
| 2 | Visibility | 2.7% | 60 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.1% | 48 |
| 4 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.6% | 35 |
| 5 | Tyres | 1.0% | 22 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.9% | 21 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.9% | 20 |
| 8 | Emissions & environmental | 0.6% | 13 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 67 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 44 |
| 3 | Outline marker lamp | 38 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 35 |
| 5 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 31 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 24 |
| 7 | Position lamp | 24 |
| 8 | Headlamp | 20 |
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 | 8.9% | 200 |
| 2 | Suspension | 6.3% | 141 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 5.1% | 113 |
| 4 | Brakes | 4.0% | 89 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.3% | 51 |
| 6 | Steering | 1.8% | 41 |
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 | 1,701 | 5.8% |
| 30-60k | 460 | 13.7% |
| 60-90k | 71 | 29.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 410 | 7.1% |
| 2022 | 442 | 8.8% |
| 2023 | 434 | 6.9% |
| 2024 | 451 | 7.3% |
| 2025 | 502 | 10.6% |
What to check before buying a Fiat Bessacarr
- Lighting & signalling (5.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (2.7% 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.
- Brakes (2.1% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Fiat Bessacarr?
91.8% of the 2,239 Fiat Bessacarr MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 8.2% fail rate, across model years 1998–2020.
What does the Fiat Bessacarr most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 5.5% of tests, then visibility (2.7%).
How much does mileage affect Bessacarr MOT results?
Fail rates run at 5.8% for cars in the 0-30k band and 29.6% for 60-90k, a 23.8-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,239 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.