2000 Fiat Seicento — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 1,440 MOT tests, the 2000 Fiat Seicento recorded a 68.2% pass rate. That is 5.0 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 26.8%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (20.2%) and brakes (17.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, service brake performance and component mounting prescribed areas — headlamp aim alone was recorded 202 times.
A 120-150k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 46.7% versus 25.6%.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 31.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 33.3% in 2021 to 30.9% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 20.2% | 291 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.9% | 258 |
| 3 | Suspension | 9.4% | 135 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 9.2% | 132 |
| 5 | Visibility | 9.1% | 131 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 7.0% | 101 |
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 | 202 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 167 |
| 3 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 124 |
| 4 | Catalyst emissions | 115 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 97 |
| 6 | Rigid brake pipes | 96 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 31.3% | 450 |
| 2 | Suspension | 28.5% | 410 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 21.7% | 313 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 21.3% | 306 |
| 5 | Tyres | 20.8% | 299 |
| 6 | Other defects | 11.5% | 166 |
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 | 254 | 25.6% |
| 30-60k | 602 | 31.2% |
| 60-90k | 425 | 34.1% |
| 90-120k | 127 | 35.4% |
| 120-150k | 30 | 46.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 441 | 33.3% |
| 2022 | 344 | 31.1% |
| 2023 | 271 | 31.0% |
| 2024 | 206 | 31.6% |
| 2025 | 178 | 30.9% |
What to check before buying a 2000 Seicento
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 20.2% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (20.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (17.9% 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.
- Suspension (9.4% 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.
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 2000 Fiat Seicentos pass their MOT?
68.2% of the 1,440 2000 Fiat Seicento MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 31.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2000 Fiat Seicento?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 20.2% of tests, followed by brakes (17.9%).
Does the 2000 Seicento get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 25.6% in the 0-30k band to 46.7% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,440 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.