2004 Fiat Stilo — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2004 Fiat Stilo passed 67.2% of its 2,329 recorded MOT tests. Against all cars of a similar age (27.7% fail rate), the 2004 Stilo comes out 5.1pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (18.4%) and lighting & signalling (17.3%) 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 rbt (sp) — headlamp aim alone was recorded 255 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 19.7% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 32.0% once past 150k.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.5pp more often than petrol ones (34.7% vs 32.1%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 38.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 34.8% in 2021 to 33.0% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 18.4% | 429 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 17.3% | 404 |
| 3 | Brakes | 11.5% | 268 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 9.2% | 214 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 7.5% | 175 |
| 6 | Visibility | 7.2% | 168 |
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 | 255 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 153 |
| 3 | Rbt (sp) | 146 |
| 4 | Coil spring | 146 |
| 5 | Exhaust system | 130 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 118 |
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 | 38.1% | 887 |
| 2 | Tyres | 30.7% | 714 |
| 3 | Brakes | 26.7% | 622 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 23.0% | 536 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 17.2% | 401 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 16.4% | 383 |
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 | 61 | 19.7% |
| 30-60k | 411 | 30.7% |
| 60-90k | 765 | 34.1% |
| 90-120k | 604 | 33.4% |
| 120-150k | 321 | 33.0% |
| 150k+ | 128 | 32.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 1,677 | 32.1% |
| Diesel | 652 | 34.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 859 | 34.8% |
| 2022 | 568 | 31.5% |
| 2023 | 399 | 31.8% |
| 2024 | 288 | 30.9% |
| 2025 | 215 | 33.0% |
What to check before buying a 2004 Stilo
On a 2004 Stilo, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 18.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (18.4% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (17.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (11.5% 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 2004 Fiat Stilos pass their MOT?
67.2% of the 2,329 2004 Fiat Stilo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 32.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2004 Fiat Stilo?
Suspension, recorded in 18.4% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (17.3%).
Does the 2004 Stilo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 19.7% in the 0-30k band to 32.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,329 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.