Fiat Swift MOT pass rate & common failures
31,807 MOT tests on the Fiat Swift (1996–2023) give it a 94.0% pass rate. That is 5.9 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 11.9%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (4.2%) and visibility (3.1%) 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 1,097 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 5.3% in the 0-30k band and 30.0% in the 90-120k band, a 24.7-point spread — more than double.
The trend is worsening — 5.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 6.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Swift model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 37 | 67.6% | 32.4% | Visibility |
| 2002 | 44 | 68.2% | 31.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 51 | 80.4% | 19.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 41 | 82.9% | 17.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 53 | 86.8% | 13.2% | Suspension |
| 2008 | 48 | 87.5% | 12.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 48 | 87.5% | 12.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 49 | 89.8% | 10.2% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2011 | 56 | 96.4% | 3.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 36 | 83.3% | 16.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 184 | 90.8% | 9.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 477 | 91.6% | 8.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 636 | 91.5% | 8.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 2,849 | 93.0% | 7.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2017 | 8,158 | 93.9% | 6.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2018 | 8,893 | 94.9% | 5.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2019 | 6,879 | 94.5% | 5.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2020 | 1,850 | 95.0% | 5.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 968 | 95.3% | 4.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2022 | 303 | 96.0% | 4.0% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 4.2% | 1,342 |
| 2 | Visibility | 3.1% | 993 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.3% | 403 |
| 4 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.9% | 300 |
| 5 | Tyres | 0.5% | 157 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.5% | 151 |
| 7 | Suspension | 0.4% | 123 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.3% | 102 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 1,097 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 826 |
| 3 | Outline marker lamp | 374 |
| 4 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 276 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 215 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 172 |
| 7 | Stop lamp | 164 |
| 8 | Service brake performance | 137 |
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 | 6.3% | 2,009 |
| 2 | Brakes | 2.3% | 718 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.2% | 691 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.8% | 588 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.3% | 421 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.9% | 303 |
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 | 28,700 | 5.3% |
| 30-60k | 2,846 | 12.0% |
| 60-90k | 219 | 18.3% |
| 90-120k | 30 | 30.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,372 | 5.0% |
| 2022 | 6,263 | 5.6% |
| 2023 | 6,811 | 5.8% |
| 2024 | 6,881 | 6.6% |
| 2025 | 7,480 | 6.5% |
What to check before buying a Fiat Swift
- Lighting & signalling (4.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (3.1% 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 (1.3% 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 Swift?
94.0% of the 31,807 Fiat Swift MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 6.0% fail rate, across model years 1996–2023.
What does the Fiat Swift most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 4.2% of tests, then visibility (3.1%).
How much does mileage affect Swift MOT results?
Fail rates run at 5.3% for cars in the 0-30k band and 30.0% for 90-120k, a 24.7-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 31,807 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.