2009 Skoda Fabia — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2009 Skoda Fabia passed 75.2% of its 93,011 recorded MOT tests. That is 1.3 percentage points better than superminis of a similar age, which fail at 26.1%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 15.3% of tests against 10.4% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, stop lamp and coil spring — position lamp alone was recorded 6,382 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 11.7% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 32.5% once past 150k — 2.8× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 23.1% fail against 28.4% for diesel, a 5.3-point gap across 93,011 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 28.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 22.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 26.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 15.3% | 14,224 |
| 2 | Suspension | 10.4% | 9,693 |
| 3 | Brakes | 8.6% | 8,024 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.0% | 5,604 |
| 5 | Tyres | 5.0% | 4,644 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.8% | 4,455 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 6,382 |
| 2 | Stop lamp | 5,216 |
| 3 | Coil spring | 3,628 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 3,149 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 2,990 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 2,917 |
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 | 28.0% | 26,015 |
| 2 | Suspension | 25.0% | 23,281 |
| 3 | Brakes | 19.6% | 18,204 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.8% | 10,934 |
| 5 | Other defects | 11.4% | 10,562 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 9.7% | 9,023 |
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 | 4,100 | 11.7% |
| 30-60k | 19,585 | 17.4% |
| 60-90k | 28,996 | 24.4% |
| 90-120k | 23,361 | 28.8% |
| 120-150k | 11,496 | 31.3% |
| 150k+ | 5,374 | 32.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 63,893 | 23.1% |
| Diesel | 29,118 | 28.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 19,822 | 22.6% |
| 2022 | 19,541 | 23.6% |
| 2023 | 19,075 | 25.2% |
| 2024 | 18,039 | 26.3% |
| 2025 | 16,534 | 26.8% |
What to check before buying a 2009 Fabia
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 15.3% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (15.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (10.4% 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 (8.6% 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
How many 2009 Skoda Fabias pass their MOT?
75.2% of the 93,011 2009 Skoda Fabia MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 24.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2009 Skoda Fabia?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 15.3% of tests, followed by suspension (10.4%).
Does the 2009 Fabia get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.7% in the 0-30k band to 32.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 93,011 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.