1990 Fiat Ducato — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 2,384 MOT tests analysed for the 1990 Fiat Ducato, the most common recorded failure areas were lighting & signalling, brakes and body, structure & corrosion. Its pass rate of 68.7% was below the average for vans of a similar age (70.9%).
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 24.8% | 590 |
| 2 | Brakes | 15.4% | 367 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 14.3% | 340 |
| 4 | Suspension | 9.3% | 223 |
| 5 | Visibility | 8.8% | 209 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 5.5% | 131 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp | 319 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 311 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 255 |
| 4 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 222 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 189 |
| 6 | Individual direction indicators | 153 |
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 | 40.3% | 961 |
| 2 | Brakes | 39.9% | 950 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 31.9% | 760 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 22.0% | 524 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 17.9% | 427 |
| 6 | Tyres | 15.7% | 373 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 419 | 28.4% |
| 60-90k | 1,006 | 29.8% |
| 90-120k | 603 | 34.2% |
| 120-150k | 226 | 36.3% |
| 150k+ | 114 | 32.5% |
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 1,207 | 30.6% |
| Diesel | 1,177 | 32.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 500 | 33.2% |
| 2022 | 551 | 30.9% |
| 2023 | 505 | 31.7% |
| 2024 | 436 | 29.8% |
| 2025 | 392 | 30.9% |
What to check before buying a 1990 Ducato
Before buying a 1990 Fiat Ducato, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Lighting & signalling accounted for 24.8% of tests for this year.
- Lighting & signalling (24.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (15.4% 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.
- Body, structure & corrosion (14.3% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
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 1990 Fiat Ducatos pass their MOT?
68.7% of the 2,384 1990 Fiat Ducato MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 31.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1990 Fiat Ducato?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 24.8% of tests, followed by brakes (15.4%).
Does the 1990 Ducato get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 28.4% in the 30-60k band to 32.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,384 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.