2014 Skoda Fabia — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 87,495 MOT tests, the 2014 Skoda Fabia recorded an 84.6% pass rate. That is 4.0 percentage points better than superminis of a similar age, which fail at 19.5%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (6.0%) and tyres (5.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, service brake performance and headlamp aim — pins and bushes alone was recorded 3,079 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 7.3% in the 0-30k band and 25.9% in the 150k+ band, a 18.6-point spread — more than double.
The petrol cars hold up better: 14.2% fail against 19.8% for diesel, a 5.6-point gap across 87,491 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 26.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 11.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 18.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.0% | 5,251 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.3% | 4,640 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.2% | 4,585 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.6% | 4,012 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.7% | 2,363 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.7% | 1,442 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pins and bushes | 3,079 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 2,512 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 2,154 |
| 4 | Wipers | 2,058 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 2,035 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 1,664 |
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 | 26.1% | 22,828 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.6% | 15,413 |
| 3 | Suspension | 13.6% | 11,925 |
| 4 | Other defects | 10.2% | 8,911 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 4.1% | 3,587 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 3.9% | 3,429 |
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 | 11,604 | 7.3% |
| 30-60k | 34,003 | 12.3% |
| 60-90k | 26,686 | 18.4% |
| 90-120k | 10,964 | 22.6% |
| 120-150k | 3,101 | 25.2% |
| 150k+ | 1,128 | 25.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 67,994 | 14.2% |
| Diesel | 19,497 | 19.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 17,121 | 11.8% |
| 2022 | 17,361 | 13.6% |
| 2023 | 17,678 | 15.5% |
| 2024 | 17,764 | 17.8% |
| 2025 | 17,571 | 18.3% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Fabia
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 6.0% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (6.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.3% 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.
- Brakes (5.2% 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 2014 Skoda Fabias pass their MOT?
84.6% of the 87,495 2014 Skoda Fabia MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Skoda Fabia?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.0% of tests, followed by tyres (5.3%).
Does the 2014 Fabia get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.3% in the 0-30k band to 25.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 87,495 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.