2017 Fiat Swift — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2017 Fiat Swift passed 93.9% of its 8,158 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail 12.6% of the time, so this is 6.6pp 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 (3.6%) 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 283 times.
A 60-90k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 22.7% versus 5.6%.
The trend is worsening — 4.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 7.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 3.6% | 297 |
| 2 | Visibility | 3.1% | 250 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.4% | 115 |
| 4 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.0% | 79 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.5% | 42 |
| 6 | Tyres | 0.5% | 38 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 283 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 129 |
| 3 | Outline marker lamp | 90 |
| 4 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 74 |
| 5 | Rbt (sp) | 54 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 50 |
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 | 6.7% | 547 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.3% | 186 |
| 3 | Visibility | 2.2% | 180 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.0% | 165 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.2% | 95 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.8% | 68 |
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 | 7,491 | 5.6% |
| 30-60k | 615 | 10.6% |
| 60-90k | 44 | 22.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,652 | 4.4% |
| 2022 | 1,699 | 5.8% |
| 2023 | 1,617 | 5.4% |
| 2024 | 1,566 | 7.5% |
| 2025 | 1,624 | 7.4% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Swift
On a 2017 Swift, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 3.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (3.6% 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 (1.4% 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 2017 Fiat Swifts pass their MOT?
93.9% of the 8,158 2017 Fiat Swift MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 6.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Fiat Swift?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 3.6% of tests, followed by visibility (3.1%).
Does the 2017 Swift get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.6% in the 0-30k band to 22.7% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 8,158 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.