Fiat Chausson MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 18 model years and 1,352 tests, the Fiat Chausson passes its MOT 92.2% of the time. That is 5.3 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 13.2%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, visibility and seat belts & restraints.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.8% of tests against 3.5% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and srs malfunction indicator lamp — wipers alone was recorded 57 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 6.2% in the 0-30k band and 25.5% in the 60-90k band, a 19.3-point spread — more than double.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 8.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every Chausson model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 36 | 83.3% | 16.7% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2013 | 34 | 79.4% | 20.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 71 | 85.9% | 14.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 45 | 86.7% | 13.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 55 | 90.9% | 9.1% | Seat belts & restraints |
| 2017 | 208 | 91.8% | 8.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2018 | 419 | 95.0% | 5.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2019 | 240 | 92.5% | 7.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2020 | 102 | 96.1% | 3.9% | Visibility |
| 2021 | 51 | 96.1% | 3.9% | Visibility |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.8% | 92 |
| 2 | Visibility | 3.5% | 48 |
| 3 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.8% | 25 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.6% | 21 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.9% | 12 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.8% | 11 |
| 7 | Tyres | 0.5% | 7 |
| 8 | Emissions & environmental | 0.4% | 6 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 57 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 51 |
| 3 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 23 |
| 4 | Stop lamp | 20 |
| 5 | Outline marker lamp | 18 |
| 6 | Rear fog lamp | 17 |
| 7 | Service brake performance | 16 |
| 8 | Position lamp | 12 |
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 | 8.7% | 118 |
| 2 | Brakes | 3.5% | 47 |
| 3 | Suspension | 3.2% | 43 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.6% | 35 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.5% | 20 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.2% | 16 |
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 | 1,109 | 6.2% |
| 30-60k | 194 | 12.4% |
| 60-90k | 47 | 25.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 174 | 9.2% |
| 2022 | 240 | 5.4% |
| 2023 | 286 | 7.7% |
| 2024 | 312 | 7.7% |
| 2025 | 340 | 9.1% |
What to check before buying a Fiat Chausson
- Lighting & signalling (6.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (3.5% 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 (1.8% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Fiat Chausson?
92.2% of the 1,352 Fiat Chausson MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 7.8% fail rate, across model years 2005–2022.
What does the Fiat Chausson most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.8% of tests, then visibility (3.5%).
How much does mileage affect Chausson MOT results?
Fail rates run at 6.2% for cars in the 0-30k band and 25.5% for 60-90k, a 19.3-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,352 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.