2017 Fiat Tipo — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2017 Fiat Tipo passed 81.0% of its 37,240 recorded MOT tests. That is 7.1 percentage points worse than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 11.9%. Failures cluster in suspension, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (9.2%) and tyres (6.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, wipers and coil spring — tread depth alone was recorded 1,659 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 12.3% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 25.8% once past 150k — 2.1× the risk.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 18.8% of the time against 19.6% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 27.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 15.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 9.2% | 3,406 |
| 2 | Tyres | 6.2% | 2,318 |
| 3 | Visibility | 5.2% | 1,944 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 5.2% | 1,922 |
| 5 | Brakes | 4.8% | 1,775 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.8% | 673 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 1,659 |
| 2 | Wipers | 1,648 |
| 3 | Coil spring | 1,457 |
| 4 | Shock absorbers | 1,433 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 1,334 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 987 |
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 | 27.1% | 10,083 |
| 2 | Brakes | 22.9% | 8,512 |
| 3 | Suspension | 16.8% | 6,246 |
| 4 | Other defects | 9.5% | 3,526 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.4% | 1,247 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 2.0% | 742 |
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 | 5,390 | 12.3% |
| 30-60k | 18,777 | 18.5% |
| 60-90k | 10,598 | 22.2% |
| 90-120k | 2,048 | 24.0% |
| 120-150k | 326 | 23.9% |
| 150k+ | 97 | 25.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 26,564 | 18.8% |
| Diesel | 10,670 | 19.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 7,301 | 15.6% |
| 2022 | 7,516 | 17.8% |
| 2023 | 7,532 | 19.4% |
| 2024 | 7,499 | 20.8% |
| 2025 | 7,392 | 21.4% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Tipo
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 9.2% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (9.2% 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.
- Tyres (6.2% 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.
- Visibility (5.2% 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.
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 Tipos pass their MOT?
81.0% of the 37,240 2017 Fiat Tipo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Fiat Tipo?
Suspension, recorded in 9.2% of tests, followed by tyres (6.2%).
Does the 2017 Tipo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.3% in the 0-30k band to 25.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 37,240 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.