2009 Fiat Panda — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 68,258 MOT tests, the 2009 Fiat Panda recorded a 73.0% pass rate. Against city cars of a similar age (25.7% fail rate), the 2009 Panda comes out 1.3pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Suspension dominates the failure mix at 15.7% of all tests — 5.6 points clear of lighting & signalling, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are shock absorbers, tread depth and pins and bushes — shock absorbers alone was recorded 5,525 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 17.4% in the 0-30k band and 35.1% in the 150k+ band, a 17.7-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.7pp more often than petrol ones (29.5% vs 26.9%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 46.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 26.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 28.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 15.7% | 10,727 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 10.1% | 6,889 |
| 3 | Brakes | 8.6% | 5,844 |
| 4 | Tyres | 6.9% | 4,731 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.7% | 3,896 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.1% | 2,768 |
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 | 5,525 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 4,654 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 4,606 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 3,021 |
| 5 | Wipers | 2,909 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 2,239 |
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 | 46.4% | 31,671 |
| 2 | Tyres | 29.6% | 20,218 |
| 3 | Brakes | 16.3% | 11,092 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.3% | 7,720 |
| 5 | Other defects | 8.3% | 5,657 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 8.1% | 5,530 |
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 | 6,546 | 17.4% |
| 30-60k | 22,428 | 24.7% |
| 60-90k | 23,811 | 29.0% |
| 90-120k | 11,230 | 31.0% |
| 120-150k | 3,349 | 32.2% |
| 150k+ | 872 | 35.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 64,182 | 26.9% |
| Diesel | 4,076 | 29.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 14,914 | 26.0% |
| 2022 | 14,521 | 26.7% |
| 2023 | 13,826 | 26.6% |
| 2024 | 13,039 | 27.9% |
| 2025 | 11,958 | 28.2% |
What to check before buying a 2009 Panda
On a 2009 Panda, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 15.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (15.7% 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 (10.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (8.6% 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 2009 Fiat Pandas pass their MOT?
73.0% of the 68,258 2009 Fiat Panda MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 27.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2009 Fiat Panda?
Suspension, recorded in 15.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (10.1%).
Does the 2009 Panda get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 17.4% in the 0-30k band to 35.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 68,258 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.