Fiat Talento MOT pass rate & common failures
8,206 MOT tests on the Fiat Talento (1991–2022) give it a 79.6% pass rate. All cars of a similar age fail 11.7% of the time, so this is 8.7pp worse than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Suspension dominates the failure mix at 9.9% of all tests — 3.1 points clear of lighting & signalling, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are track rod end, shock absorbers and brake pads — track rod end alone was recorded 445 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 10.9% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 25.8% once past 150k — 2.4× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 19.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 17.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 22.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Talento model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 695 | 77.1% | 22.9% | Suspension |
| 2017 | 3,863 | 77.9% | 22.1% | Suspension |
| 2018 | 1,581 | 81.2% | 18.9% | Suspension |
| 2019 | 801 | 79.4% | 20.6% | Suspension |
| 2020 | 490 | 85.5% | 14.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 764 | 83.4% | 16.6% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 9.9% | 810 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 6.8% | 557 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.1% | 416 |
| 4 | Steering | 4.6% | 379 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 4.1% | 337 |
| 6 | Tyres | 4.0% | 328 |
| 7 | Visibility | 3.0% | 246 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.2% | 95 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Track rod end | 445 |
| 2 | Shock absorbers | 358 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 327 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 302 |
| 5 | Coil spring | 272 |
| 6 | Linkage ball joints | 225 |
| 7 | Tread depth | 190 |
| 8 | Ball joint | 185 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 19.0% | 1,557 |
| 2 | Tyres | 18.9% | 1,551 |
| 3 | Suspension | 16.4% | 1,346 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 8.1% | 665 |
| 5 | Visibility | 7.4% | 610 |
| 6 | Other defects | 6.5% | 530 |
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 | 997 | 10.9% |
| 30-60k | 2,566 | 18.4% |
| 60-90k | 2,255 | 23.1% |
| 90-120k | 1,346 | 24.4% |
| 120-150k | 659 | 22.3% |
| 150k+ | 361 | 25.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,239 | 17.8% |
| 2022 | 1,413 | 18.0% |
| 2023 | 1,633 | 21.5% |
| 2024 | 1,975 | 21.2% |
| 2025 | 1,946 | 22.2% |
What to check before buying a Fiat Talento
- Suspension (9.9% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Lighting & signalling (6.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (5.1% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Fiat Talento?
79.6% of the 8,206 Fiat Talento MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 20.4% fail rate, across model years 1991–2022.
What does the Fiat Talento most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 9.9% of tests, then lighting & signalling (6.8%).
How much does mileage affect Talento MOT results?
Fail rates run at 10.9% for cars in the 0-30k band and 25.8% for 150k+, a 14.8-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 8,206 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.