Fiat Stilo MOT pass rate & common failures
8,170 MOT tests on the Fiat Stilo (2002–2020) give it a 67.0% pass rate. That is 5.6 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 27.5%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (18.8%) and suspension (18.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, pins and bushes and coil spring — headlamp aim alone was recorded 944 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 24.3% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 36.8% once past 150k.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.2pp more often than petrol ones (34.5% vs 32.4%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 39.8% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Stilo model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 591 | 67.3% | 32.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 1,377 | 65.9% | 34.1% | Suspension |
| 2004 | 2,329 | 67.2% | 32.9% | Suspension |
| 2005 | 1,445 | 66.7% | 33.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 1,754 | 66.8% | 33.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 663 | 69.4% | 30.6% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 18.8% | 1,534 |
| 2 | Suspension | 18.1% | 1,481 |
| 3 | Brakes | 11.2% | 918 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 9.4% | 768 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 7.6% | 620 |
| 6 | Tyres | 6.9% | 565 |
| 7 | Visibility | 6.8% | 552 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 4.2% | 340 |
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 | 944 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 474 |
| 3 | Coil spring | 469 |
| 4 | Exhaust system | 462 |
| 5 | Rbt (sp) | 431 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 431 |
| 7 | Wipers | 362 |
| 8 | Catalyst emissions | 348 |
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 | 39.8% | 3,248 |
| 2 | Tyres | 30.2% | 2,469 |
| 3 | Brakes | 28.8% | 2,353 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 22.7% | 1,852 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 16.9% | 1,379 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 15.8% | 1,288 |
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 | 169 | 24.3% |
| 30-60k | 1,290 | 27.4% |
| 60-90k | 2,724 | 32.5% |
| 90-120k | 2,172 | 34.8% |
| 120-150k | 1,145 | 35.6% |
| 150k+ | 555 | 36.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 5,716 | 32.4% |
| Diesel | 2,454 | 34.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,937 | 34.1% |
| 2022 | 2,056 | 32.1% |
| 2023 | 1,457 | 33.9% |
| 2024 | 984 | 30.5% |
| 2025 | 736 | 32.7% |
What to check before buying a Fiat Stilo
- Lighting & signalling (18.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (18.1% 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.
- Brakes (11.2% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Fiat Stilo?
67.0% of the 8,170 Fiat Stilo MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 33.0% fail rate, across model years 2002–2020.
What does the Fiat Stilo most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 18.8% of tests, then suspension (18.1%).
How much does mileage affect Stilo MOT results?
Fail rates run at 24.3% for cars in the 0-30k band and 36.8% for 150k+, a 12.5-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Stilo more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 32.4% of the time against 34.5% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 8,170 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.