2016 Fiat Swift — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 2,849 MOT tests, the 2016 Fiat Swift recorded a 93.0% pass rate. Against all cars of a similar age (14.5% fail rate), the 2016 Swift comes out 7.6pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and seat belts & restraints.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (5.0%) and visibility (2.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, wipers and srs malfunction indicator lamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 69 times.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 8.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 5.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 7.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 5.0% | 143 |
| 2 | Visibility | 2.1% | 61 |
| 3 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.8% | 50 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.3% | 36 |
| 5 | Tyres | 0.5% | 15 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.4% | 12 |
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 | 69 |
| 2 | Wipers | 62 |
| 3 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 46 |
| 4 | Outline marker lamp | 40 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 35 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 29 |
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 | 8.0% | 228 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 3.4% | 96 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.3% | 66 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.8% | 52 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.7% | 47 |
| 6 | Other defects | 1.0% | 28 |
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 | 2,471 | 6.3% |
| 30-60k | 351 | 11.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 548 | 5.3% |
| 2022 | 576 | 6.3% |
| 2023 | 606 | 8.1% |
| 2024 | 543 | 7.5% |
| 2025 | 576 | 7.5% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Swift
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 5.0% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (5.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (2.1% 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.
- 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 2016 Fiat Swifts pass their MOT?
93.0% of the 2,849 2016 Fiat Swift MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Fiat Swift?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 5.0% of tests, followed by visibility (2.1%).
Does the 2016 Swift get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.3% in the 0-30k band to 11.4% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,849 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.