1999 Fiat Seicento — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 858 MOT tests, the 1999 Fiat Seicento recorded a 69.2% pass rate. That is 4.5 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 26.3%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (17.4%) and brakes (17.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are service brake performance, headlamp aim and component mounting prescribed areas — service brake performance alone was recorded 113 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 30.6% versus 23.6%.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 29.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 29.9% in 2021 to 27.8% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 17.4% | 149 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.1% | 147 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 9.4% | 81 |
| 4 | Suspension | 9.2% | 79 |
| 5 | Visibility | 6.9% | 59 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 6.8% | 58 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Service brake performance | 113 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 88 |
| 3 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 73 |
| 4 | Catalyst emissions | 62 |
| 5 | Rigid brake pipes | 53 |
| 6 | Wipers | 44 |
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 | 29.1% | 250 |
| 2 | Brakes | 28.4% | 244 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 21.3% | 183 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 20.9% | 179 |
| 5 | Tyres | 17.1% | 147 |
| 6 | Other defects | 8.9% | 76 |
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 | 110 | 23.6% |
| 30-60k | 392 | 31.1% |
| 60-90k | 266 | 32.3% |
| 90-120k | 62 | 30.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 264 | 29.9% |
| 2022 | 206 | 31.6% |
| 2023 | 175 | 33.1% |
| 2024 | 123 | 30.1% |
| 2025 | 90 | 27.8% |
What to check before buying a 1999 Seicento
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 17.4% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (17.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (17.1% 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.
- Body, structure & corrosion (9.4% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
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 1999 Fiat Seicentos pass their MOT?
69.2% of the 858 1999 Fiat Seicento MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 30.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1999 Fiat Seicento?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 17.4% of tests, followed by brakes (17.1%).
Does the 1999 Seicento get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 23.6% in the 0-30k band to 30.6% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 858 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.