2021 Fiat Talento — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 764 MOT tests, the 2021 Fiat Talento recorded an 83.4% pass rate. Against all cars of a similar age (8.6% fail rate), the 2021 Talento comes out 8.0pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (7.1%) and brakes (6.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, headlamp aim and washers — brake pads alone was recorded 38 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 23.4% once past 90-120k — 2.9× the risk.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 19.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 7.1% | 54 |
| 2 | Brakes | 6.0% | 46 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.3% | 33 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.7% | 28 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.3% | 25 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.1% | 16 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 38 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 23 |
| 3 | Washers | 19 |
| 4 | Stop lamp | 16 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 15 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 14 |
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 | 19.2% | 147 |
| 2 | Tyres | 18.6% | 142 |
| 3 | Suspension | 9.8% | 75 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 5.8% | 44 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.8% | 44 |
| 6 | Other defects | 5.4% | 41 |
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 | 172 | 8.1% |
| 30-60k | 358 | 19.6% |
| 60-90k | 166 | 18.1% |
| 90-120k | 47 | 23.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 377 | 16.7% |
| 2025 | 369 | 16.5% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Talento
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 7.1% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (7.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (6.0% 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.
- Tyres (4.3% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
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 2021 Fiat Talentos pass their MOT?
83.4% of the 764 2021 Fiat Talento MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Fiat Talento?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.1% of tests, followed by brakes (6.0%).
Does the 2021 Talento get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.1% in the 0-30k band to 23.4% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 764 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.