2016 Fiat Ducato — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 15,425 MOT tests, the 2016 Fiat Ducato recorded an 89.6% pass rate. Against vans of a similar age (19.5% fail rate), the 2016 Ducato comes out 9.1pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (6.3%) and brakes (3.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, wipers and rbt (sp) — headlamp aim alone was recorded 522 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 17.7% versus 6.9%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 9.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 8.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.3% | 968 |
| 2 | Brakes | 3.7% | 574 |
| 3 | Visibility | 2.6% | 403 |
| 4 | Suspension | 1.8% | 282 |
| 5 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.7% | 255 |
| 6 | Tyres | 1.3% | 196 |
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 | 522 |
| 2 | Wipers | 365 |
| 3 | Rbt (sp) | 303 |
| 4 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 217 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 172 |
| 6 | Outline marker lamp | 172 |
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 | 9.5% | 1,471 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.1% | 1,093 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.2% | 807 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.5% | 543 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 3.4% | 523 |
| 6 | Other defects | 2.5% | 387 |
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 | 8,775 | 6.9% |
| 30-60k | 3,050 | 11.2% |
| 60-90k | 893 | 16.9% |
| 90-120k | 597 | 19.9% |
| 120-150k | 580 | 19.5% |
| 150k+ | 1,522 | 17.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,098 | 8.7% |
| 2022 | 3,110 | 9.1% |
| 2023 | 3,083 | 10.4% |
| 2024 | 3,093 | 11.8% |
| 2025 | 3,041 | 12.0% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Ducato
On a 2016 Ducato, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 6.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (6.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (3.7% 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.
- Visibility (2.6% 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.
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 2016 Fiat Ducatos pass their MOT?
89.6% of the 15,425 2016 Fiat Ducato MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Fiat Ducato?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.3% of tests, followed by brakes (3.7%).
Does the 2016 Ducato get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.9% in the 0-30k band to 17.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 15,425 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.