Fiat Ulysse MOT pass rate & common failures
1,585 MOT tests on the Fiat Ulysse (1995–2019) give it a 68.6% pass rate. Against all cars of a similar age (27.2% fail rate), the Ulysse comes out 4.2pp worse. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (18.4%) and suspension (15.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, rbt (sp) and component mounting prescribed areas — headlamp aim alone was recorded 146 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 29.7% versus 25.6%.
Split by fuel, petrol examples fail 2.5pp more often than diesel ones (32.9% vs 30.4%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 38.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 33.9% in 2021 to 28.4% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Ulysse model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 54 | 70.4% | 29.6% | Brakes |
| 1997 | 86 | 72.1% | 27.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 60 | 80.0% | 20.0% | Suspension |
| 1999 | 78 | 64.1% | 35.9% | Suspension |
| 2000 | 71 | 70.4% | 29.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 72 | 75.0% | 25.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 64 | 67.2% | 32.8% | Suspension |
| 2003 | 156 | 67.3% | 32.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 485 | 64.3% | 35.7% | Brakes |
| 2005 | 432 | 69.7% | 30.3% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 18.4% | 292 |
| 2 | Suspension | 15.5% | 245 |
| 3 | Brakes | 14.9% | 237 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.9% | 189 |
| 5 | Visibility | 8.4% | 133 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 6.5% | 103 |
| 7 | Tyres | 4.3% | 68 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 3.1% | 49 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 146 |
| 2 | Rbt (sp) | 122 |
| 3 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 102 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 101 |
| 5 | Wipers | 87 |
| 6 | Washers | 86 |
| 7 | Position lamp | 82 |
| 8 | Stop lamp | 72 |
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 | 38.2% | 606 |
| 2 | Suspension | 35.0% | 555 |
| 3 | Tyres | 30.6% | 485 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 25.1% | 397 |
| 5 | Other defects | 23.0% | 364 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 19.6% | 311 |
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 | 39 | 25.6% |
| 30-60k | 69 | 29.0% |
| 60-90k | 245 | 31.4% |
| 90-120k | 401 | 32.4% |
| 120-150k | 382 | 33.0% |
| 150k+ | 374 | 29.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 991 | 30.4% |
| Petrol | 587 | 32.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 573 | 33.9% |
| 2022 | 402 | 31.6% |
| 2023 | 273 | 30.4% |
| 2024 | 189 | 27.5% |
| 2025 | 148 | 28.4% |
What to check before buying a Fiat Ulysse
- Lighting & signalling (18.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (15.5% 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.
- Brakes (14.9% 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 Ulysse?
68.6% of the 1,585 Fiat Ulysse MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 31.4% fail rate, across model years 1995–2019.
What does the Fiat Ulysse most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 18.4% of tests, then suspension (15.5%).
How much does mileage affect Ulysse MOT results?
Fail rates run at 25.6% for cars in the 0-30k band and 29.7% for 150k+, a 4.0-point difference.
Is the diesel or petrol Ulysse more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the diesel fails 30.4% of the time against 32.9% for the petrol. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,585 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.