2016 Fiat -Trail — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 6,719 MOT tests, the 2016 Fiat -Trail recorded a 94.2% pass rate. Against all cars of a similar age (14.5% fail rate), the 2016 -Trail comes out 8.7pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and seat belts & restraints.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (3.4%) and visibility (2.0%) 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 srs malfunction indicator lamp — wipers alone was recorded 141 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 5.2% in the 0-30k band and 13.3% in the 60-90k band, a 8.2-point spread — more than double.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 10.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 5.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 7.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 3.4% | 229 |
| 2 | Visibility | 2.0% | 133 |
| 3 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.4% | 92 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.3% | 90 |
| 5 | Tyres | 0.7% | 49 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.7% | 46 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 141 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 133 |
| 3 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 89 |
| 4 | Outline marker lamp | 53 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 40 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 37 |
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 | 10.1% | 677 |
| 2 | Brakes | 3.0% | 200 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.8% | 185 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.2% | 148 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.6% | 105 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.8% | 53 |
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 | 5,693 | 5.2% |
| 30-60k | 963 | 9.3% |
| 60-90k | 60 | 13.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,378 | 5.5% |
| 2022 | 1,339 | 4.1% |
| 2023 | 1,341 | 5.5% |
| 2024 | 1,323 | 7.0% |
| 2025 | 1,338 | 7.2% |
What to check before buying a 2016 -Trail
On a 2016 -Trail, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 3.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (3.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (2.0% 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 (1.4% 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 -Trails pass their MOT?
94.2% of the 6,719 2016 Fiat -Trail MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 5.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Fiat -Trail?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 3.4% of tests, followed by visibility (2.0%).
Does the 2016 -Trail get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.2% in the 0-30k band to 13.3% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,719 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.