2011 Fiat Doblo — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 14,736 MOT tests, the 2011 Fiat Doblo recorded a 72.8% pass rate. That is effectively the same as vans of a similar age (26.5% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (16.0%) and lighting & signalling (14.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, headlamp aim and tread depth — coil spring alone was recorded 1,238 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 13.5% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 29.2% once past 150k — 2.2× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 21.9% fail against 28.1% for diesel, a 6.2-point gap across 14,736 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 29.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 26.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 28.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 16.0% | 2,354 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 14.7% | 2,167 |
| 3 | Tyres | 7.1% | 1,044 |
| 4 | Brakes | 6.5% | 962 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.1% | 758 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.1% | 748 |
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 | 1,238 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 703 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 621 |
| 4 | Shock absorbers | 565 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 544 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 520 |
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 | 29.8% | 4,395 |
| 2 | Tyres | 29.6% | 4,357 |
| 3 | Brakes | 18.3% | 2,692 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 13.8% | 2,031 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 12.2% | 1,804 |
| 6 | Visibility | 9.6% | 1,409 |
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 | 504 | 13.5% |
| 30-60k | 1,961 | 22.6% |
| 60-90k | 3,239 | 26.6% |
| 90-120k | 4,114 | 28.8% |
| 120-150k | 2,796 | 29.9% |
| 150k+ | 2,080 | 29.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 12,648 | 28.1% |
| Petrol | 2,088 | 21.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,439 | 26.3% |
| 2022 | 3,273 | 26.6% |
| 2023 | 3,021 | 28.0% |
| 2024 | 2,692 | 27.4% |
| 2025 | 2,311 | 28.3% |
What to check before buying a 2011 Doblo
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 16.0% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (16.0% 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 (14.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (7.1% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
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 Doblos pass their MOT?
72.8% of the 14,736 2011 Fiat Doblo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 27.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 Fiat Doblo?
Suspension, recorded in 16.0% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (14.7%).
Does the 2011 Doblo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 13.5% in the 0-30k band to 29.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 14,736 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.