2018 Fiat Sunlight — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2018 Fiat Sunlight passed 94.1% of its 476 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail 11.0% of the time, so this is 5.1pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (5.3%) and visibility (4.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and outline marker lamp — wipers alone was recorded 19 times.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 8.6% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 3.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 6.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 5.3% | 25 |
| 2 | Visibility | 4.2% | 20 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.1% | 5 |
| 4 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.8% | 4 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.6% | 3 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.6% | 3 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 19 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 13 |
| 3 | Outline marker lamp | 8 |
| 4 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 4 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 4 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 3 |
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 | 8.6% | 41 |
| 2 | Visibility | 4.0% | 19 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 3.6% | 17 |
| 4 | Other defects | 2.5% | 12 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.7% | 8 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.3% | 6 |
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 | 402 | 5.0% |
| 30-60k | 66 | 9.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 96 | 3.1% |
| 2022 | 101 | 6.9% |
| 2023 | 96 | 4.2% |
| 2024 | 88 | 9.1% |
| 2025 | 95 | 6.3% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Sunlight
On a 2018 Sunlight, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (5.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (4.2% 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.
- Brakes (1.1% 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.
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 2018 Fiat Sunlights pass their MOT?
94.1% of the 476 2018 Fiat Sunlight MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 5.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Fiat Sunlight?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 5.3% of tests, followed by visibility (4.2%).
Does the 2018 Sunlight get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.0% in the 0-30k band to 9.1% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 476 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.