2009 Fiat Ducato — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2009 Fiat Ducato passed 84.8% of its 20,694 recorded MOT tests. That is 13.1 percentage points better than vans of a similar age, which fail at 28.2%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 9.4% of all tests — 4.6 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, malfunction indicator lamp and rbt (sp) — headlamp aim alone was recorded 853 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 28.4% versus 11.6%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 11.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 14.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 16.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 9.4% | 1,944 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.8% | 994 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 3.8% | 784 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.5% | 719 |
| 5 | Suspension | 3.0% | 616 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.3% | 472 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 853 |
| 2 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 453 |
| 3 | Rbt (sp) | 447 |
| 4 | Wipers | 432 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 427 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 396 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 11.4% | 2,354 |
| 2 | Suspension | 11.2% | 2,310 |
| 3 | Tyres | 10.9% | 2,259 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 10.9% | 2,252 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.1% | 855 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.1% | 842 |
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 | 5,979 | 11.6% |
| 30-60k | 10,888 | 14.0% |
| 60-90k | 1,950 | 19.3% |
| 90-120k | 694 | 30.1% |
| 120-150k | 473 | 27.9% |
| 150k+ | 698 | 28.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,267 | 14.7% |
| 2022 | 4,169 | 14.3% |
| 2023 | 4,133 | 14.4% |
| 2024 | 4,047 | 15.7% |
| 2025 | 4,078 | 16.8% |
What to check before buying a 2009 Ducato
On a 2009 Ducato, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 9.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (9.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (4.8% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (3.8% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
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 2009 Fiat Ducatos pass their MOT?
84.8% of the 20,694 2009 Fiat Ducato MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2009 Fiat Ducato?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 9.4% of tests, followed by brakes (4.8%).
Does the 2009 Ducato get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.6% in the 0-30k band to 28.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 20,694 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.