2008 Fiat Panda — MOT failures & pass rate
34,404 MOT tests on the 2008 Fiat Panda are in this dataset, and 71.2% of them passed. Against city cars of a similar age (27.0% fail rate), the 2008 Panda comes out 1.8pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 17.2% of tests against 11.2% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are shock absorbers, pins and bushes and tread depth — shock absorbers alone was recorded 2,719 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 35.1% versus 16.0%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 28.3% fail against 31.1% for diesel, a 2.8-point gap across 34,404 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 42.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 26.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 30.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 17.2% | 5,919 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 11.2% | 3,836 |
| 3 | Brakes | 9.3% | 3,214 |
| 4 | Tyres | 6.7% | 2,303 |
| 5 | Visibility | 6.5% | 2,230 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.1% | 1,763 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shock absorbers | 2,719 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 2,215 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 2,113 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 1,698 |
| 5 | Wipers | 1,583 |
| 6 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 1,554 |
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 | 42.8% | 14,722 |
| 2 | Tyres | 29.2% | 10,041 |
| 3 | Brakes | 18.5% | 6,369 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 12.8% | 4,407 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 9.9% | 3,403 |
| 6 | Other defects | 8.9% | 3,075 |
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 | 1,777 | 16.0% |
| 30-60k | 9,691 | 24.8% |
| 60-90k | 12,607 | 29.9% |
| 90-120k | 7,307 | 33.2% |
| 120-150k | 2,351 | 33.1% |
| 150k+ | 647 | 35.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 28,481 | 28.3% |
| Diesel | 5,923 | 31.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 7,970 | 26.6% |
| 2022 | 7,692 | 28.8% |
| 2023 | 7,007 | 29.1% |
| 2024 | 6,262 | 29.9% |
| 2025 | 5,473 | 30.2% |
What to check before buying a 2008 Panda
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 17.2% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (17.2% 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 (11.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (9.3% 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.
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 2008 Fiat Pandas pass their MOT?
71.2% of the 34,404 2008 Fiat Panda MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 28.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2008 Fiat Panda?
Suspension, recorded in 17.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (11.2%).
Does the 2008 Panda get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 16.0% in the 0-30k band to 35.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 34,404 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.