2017 Fiat Carado — MOT failures & pass rate
320 MOT tests on the 2017 Fiat Carado are in this dataset, and 92.5% of them passed. Against all cars of a similar age (12.7% fail rate), the 2017 Carado comes out 5.2pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (4.7%) and visibility (4.4%) 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 service brake performance — wipers alone was recorded 16 times.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 10.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 6.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 10.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 4.7% | 15 |
| 2 | Visibility | 4.4% | 14 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.5% | 8 |
| 4 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.9% | 3 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.9% | 3 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.6% | 2 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 16 |
| 2 | Outline marker lamp | 8 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 7 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 4 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 4 |
| 6 | Track rod end | 3 |
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 | 10.0% | 32 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.0% | 16 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.4% | 14 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.8% | 12 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.1% | 10 |
| 6 | Other defects | 1.6% | 5 |
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 | 276 | 6.9% |
| 30-60k | 44 | 11.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 64 | 6.3% |
| 2022 | 67 | 7.5% |
| 2023 | 62 | 3.2% |
| 2024 | 62 | 9.7% |
| 2025 | 65 | 10.8% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Carado
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 4.7% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (4.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (4.4% 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 (2.5% 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 2017 Fiat Carados pass their MOT?
92.5% of the 320 2017 Fiat Carado MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Fiat Carado?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 4.7% of tests, followed by visibility (4.4%).
Does the 2017 Carado get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.9% in the 0-30k band to 11.4% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 320 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.