2011 Fiat Bravo — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 2,893 MOT tests, the 2011 Fiat Bravo recorded a 70.9% pass rate. That is 6.5 percentage points worse than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 22.6%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 15.8% of tests against 11.4% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, stop lamp and pins and bushes — coil spring alone was recorded 278 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 17.8% in the 0-30k band and 30.9% in the 150k+ band, a 13.2-point spread.
The petrol cars hold up better: 27.7% fail against 29.8% for diesel, a 2.1-point gap across 2,893 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 32.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 15.8% | 456 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 11.4% | 331 |
| 3 | Brakes | 9.1% | 262 |
| 4 | Tyres | 6.8% | 196 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.4% | 155 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.9% | 141 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 278 |
| 2 | Stop lamp | 133 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 133 |
| 4 | Ball joint | 126 |
| 5 | Track rod end | 111 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 108 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 32.3% | 933 |
| 2 | Tyres | 31.3% | 906 |
| 3 | Brakes | 29.4% | 852 |
| 4 | Other defects | 15.6% | 451 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 13.3% | 384 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 12.7% | 366 |
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 | 45 | 17.8% |
| 30-60k | 422 | 19.4% |
| 60-90k | 1,014 | 28.7% |
| 90-120k | 993 | 32.2% |
| 120-150k | 321 | 34.3% |
| 150k+ | 97 | 30.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 1,829 | 29.8% |
| Petrol | 1,064 | 27.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 678 | 27.7% |
| 2022 | 642 | 28.3% |
| 2023 | 615 | 31.2% |
| 2024 | 524 | 30.0% |
| 2025 | 434 | 28.1% |
What to check before buying a 2011 Bravo
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 15.8% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (15.8% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (11.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (9.1% 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
How many 2011 Fiat Bravos pass their MOT?
70.9% of the 2,893 2011 Fiat Bravo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 29.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 Fiat Bravo?
Suspension, recorded in 15.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (11.4%).
Does the 2011 Bravo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 17.8% in the 0-30k band to 30.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,893 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.