2017 Fiat Sunlight — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 278 MOT tests, the 2017 Fiat Sunlight recorded a 94.2% pass rate. All cars of a similar age fail 12.7% of the time, so this is 6.9pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and seat belts & restraints.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (4.3%) and visibility (4.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, stop lamp and srs malfunction indicator lamp — wipers alone was recorded 14 times.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 10.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 10.9% in 2021 to 5.3% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 4.3% | 12 |
| 2 | Visibility | 4.3% | 12 |
| 3 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.8% | 5 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.4% | 4 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.7% | 2 |
| 6 | Steering | 0.4% | 1 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 14 |
| 2 | Stop lamp | 5 |
| 3 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 5 |
| 4 | Outline marker lamp | 4 |
| 5 | Rbt (sp) | 3 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 2 |
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 | 10.8% | 30 |
| 2 | Brakes | 3.6% | 10 |
| 3 | Other defects | 2.9% | 8 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.5% | 7 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.2% | 6 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.4% | 4 |
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 | 217 | 5.1% |
| 30-60k | 57 | 5.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 55 | 10.9% |
| 2022 | 56 | 3.6% |
| 2023 | 53 | 1.9% |
| 2024 | 57 | 7.0% |
| 2025 | 57 | 5.3% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Sunlight
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 4.3% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (4.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (4.3% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Seat belts & restraints (1.8% of tests): Belt damage or faulty pretensioners — usually straightforward but safety-critical. Typical repair: £50–£300.
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 2017 Fiat Sunlights pass their MOT?
94.2% of the 278 2017 Fiat Sunlight MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 5.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Fiat Sunlight?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 4.3% of tests, followed by visibility (4.3%).
Does the 2017 Sunlight get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.1% in the 0-30k band to 5.3% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 278 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.