2014 Fiat Panda — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2014 Fiat Panda passed 81.4% of its 48,405 recorded MOT tests. City cars of a similar age fail 17.3% of the time, so this is 1.3pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (9.2%) and lighting & signalling (7.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are shock absorbers, coil spring and tread depth — shock absorbers alone was recorded 2,331 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 11.8% in the 0-30k band and 28.7% in the 150k+ band, a 17.0-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 4.9pp more often than petrol ones (23.0% vs 18.0%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 26.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 16.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 9.2% | 4,448 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 7.3% | 3,559 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.4% | 2,116 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.9% | 1,896 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.4% | 1,621 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.0% | 1,459 |
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 | 2,331 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 1,618 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 1,394 |
| 4 | Wipers | 1,343 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 1,285 |
| 6 | Pins and bushes | 1,223 |
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 | 26.2% | 12,702 |
| 2 | Suspension | 23.7% | 11,452 |
| 3 | Brakes | 21.7% | 10,501 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.1% | 3,457 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.8% | 2,803 |
| 6 | Other defects | 5.7% | 2,760 |
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 | 9,415 | 11.8% |
| 30-60k | 23,234 | 17.6% |
| 60-90k | 12,036 | 23.4% |
| 90-120k | 3,117 | 26.3% |
| 120-150k | 508 | 28.1% |
| 150k+ | 87 | 28.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 42,863 | 18.0% |
| Diesel | 5,542 | 23.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 9,567 | 16.4% |
| 2022 | 9,626 | 17.0% |
| 2023 | 9,740 | 18.6% |
| 2024 | 9,699 | 19.7% |
| 2025 | 9,773 | 21.2% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Panda
On a 2014 Panda, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 9.2% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (9.2% 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 (7.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (4.4% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
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 2014 Fiat Pandas pass their MOT?
81.4% of the 48,405 2014 Fiat Panda MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 18.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Fiat Panda?
Suspension, recorded in 9.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (7.3%).
Does the 2014 Panda get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.8% in the 0-30k band to 28.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 48,405 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.