2018 Fiat Doblo — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2018 Fiat Doblo passed 82.8% of its 12,196 recorded MOT tests. Vans of a similar age fail 16.2% of the time, so this is 1.1pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (7.6%) and lighting & signalling (5.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, malfunction indicator lamp and headlamp aim — coil spring alone was recorded 674 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 20.3% versus 11.6%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 8.4pp more often than petrol ones (18.7% vs 10.3%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 20.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 11.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 19.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 7.6% | 923 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.6% | 685 |
| 3 | Tyres | 5.5% | 674 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 3.8% | 463 |
| 5 | Brakes | 3.5% | 423 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.4% | 416 |
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 | 674 |
| 2 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 384 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 377 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 352 |
| 5 | Washers | 249 |
| 6 | Wipers | 200 |
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 | 20.1% | 2,449 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.2% | 1,363 |
| 3 | Suspension | 8.1% | 992 |
| 4 | Visibility | 6.0% | 734 |
| 5 | Other defects | 5.1% | 616 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 3.8% | 459 |
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 | 3,467 | 11.6% |
| 30-60k | 4,340 | 17.3% |
| 60-90k | 2,608 | 20.7% |
| 90-120k | 1,180 | 23.4% |
| 120-150k | 426 | 23.0% |
| 150k+ | 172 | 20.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 10,083 | 18.7% |
| Petrol | 2,108 | 10.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,368 | 11.9% |
| 2022 | 2,509 | 16.8% |
| 2023 | 2,519 | 18.7% |
| 2024 | 2,399 | 19.3% |
| 2025 | 2,401 | 19.4% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Doblo
On a 2018 Doblo, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 7.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (7.6% 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 (5.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.5% 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 2018 Fiat Doblos pass their MOT?
82.8% of the 12,196 2018 Fiat Doblo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Fiat Doblo?
Suspension, recorded in 7.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (5.6%).
Does the 2018 Doblo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.6% in the 0-30k band to 20.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 12,196 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.