MOT statistics · 2023 tests

Fiat 500C MOT pass rate, common failures and mileage

In 2023, 73.2% of 17,283 MOT tests on the Fiat 500C ended in a pass, 3.3 points below the 76.5% average for all cars.

Pass rate

73.2%

All cars 76.5%

Tests

17,283

Initial MOTs in 2023

Mileage at 10

55k

Median; middle half 41k to 69k

Pass rate and mileage by age

Each row covers the Fiat 500C MOT tests at that age. Mileage shows the median and the middle half of odometer readings, from the 25th to the 75th percentile.

Age	Pass rate	Mileage
4291 tests	87.6%	23,000 · 15k to 35k
51,153 tests	85.6%	27,000 · 19k to 39k
61,893 tests	81.9%	33,000 · 23k to 45k
72,426 tests	76.1%	39,000 · 27k to 51k
82,459 tests	73.4%	43,000 · 31k to 57k
92,151 tests	74.6%	49,000 · 35k to 63k
102,165 tests	70.4%	55,000 · 41k to 69k
111,692 tests	67.3%	59,000 · 45k to 77k
121,412 tests	64.7%	65,000 · 49k to 83k
131,454 tests	61.8%	71,000 · 53k to 89k

500C pass rateAll cars at that ageMiddle half of mileages

Most common MOT failures and advisories

How often each item came up, per 100 MOT tests on the Fiat 500C. Advisories are things the tester noted that did not fail the car, often wear that will need attention soon. Follow an item to see what it means and how serious it is.

Failures

Shock absorbers

A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage

4.6in 100 tests

Shock absorbers

A shock absorber bush excessively worn

3.0in 100 tests

Wiper blades

Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen

2.3in 100 tests

Suspension joints

A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn

2.1in 100 tests

Tyre tread

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

2.1in 100 tests

Screen washers

Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen

1.8in 100 tests

Tyres

A tyre cords visible or damaged

1.8in 100 tests

Side and tail lights

A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning

1.6in 100 tests

Advisories and minor defects

Brake discs

Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured

11.3in 100 tests

Shock absorbers

A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage

9.3in 100 tests

Coil springs

A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened

6.9in 100 tests

Brake pads

A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm

5.2in 100 tests

Shock absorbers

A shock absorber bush excessively worn

5.0in 100 tests

Engine oil leaks

Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users

3.1in 100 tests

Tyre tread

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

2.3in 100 tests

Sub-frame

A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded

2.2in 100 tests

What to check on a used 500C

The parts that come up most often in Fiat 500C MOTs, and how to look at them on a viewing.

Brake discs and pads
Ask when the discs and pads were last replaced, and look through the wheel for a raised lip on the edge of the disc.
Shock absorbers
Push down hard on each corner: it should rise once and settle. Oil on the shock absorber body is a sign of a leak.
Coil springs
Compare the gap between each tyre and its wheel arch. A corner sitting lower than the others can mean a broken spring.
Oil leaks
Look under the engine and gearbox, and at the ground where the car was parked, for fresh oil.
Tyres
Check the tread across the full width of every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts and bulges in the sidewalls.

Check a specific 500C

Fleet averages only go so far. Enter the registration to see that car's own MOT history, mileage record and current condition, free.

Questions

What is the MOT pass rate of the Fiat 500C?

In 2023, 73.2% of 17,283 initial MOT tests on the Fiat 500C ended in a pass, against 76.5% for all cars and light vans.

What fails most often on a Fiat 500C MOT?

The most common failures were shock absorbers (4.6 in 100 tests), shock absorbers (3.0 in 100 tests), wiper blades (2.3 in 100 tests).

What is a normal mileage for a 10-year-old Fiat 500C?

At 10 years old, the median Fiat 500C at its MOT had covered 55,000 miles, and the middle half had between 41,000 and 69,000 miles.

What do MOT testers most often advise on a Fiat 500C?

The most common advisories were brake discs (11.3 in 100 tests), shock absorbers (9.3 in 100 tests), coil springs (6.9 in 100 tests).

Other Fiat models

Overall MOT pass rate in 2023. Compare all Fiat models or see every make.

50073.7%Ducato75.9%Panda70.8%Punto63.8%Doblo69.4%500X83.5%500L73.4%500C73.2%Tipo79.6%Scudo58.7%Fiorino67.3%Grande Punto63.1%Bravo56.9%

How these figures are made. We counted every initial MOT test (not retests) of cars and light vans in Great Britain in 2023 from the DVSA anonymised MOT dataset, 33,842,940 tests in all. Pass rate is the share of initial tests that ended in a pass, counting faults fixed during the test. Age is whole years from first registration to the test, so a car having its first MOT a few weeks early counts as 2.

Like-for-like pass rates average each model's pass rate at ages 3 to 10 with the same age mix for every model, so a model is not flattered by a young fleet or penalised by an old one. Models are grouped by the first word of the DVSA model name, and names that cover several models are left out.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. RegTail's analysis of the DVSA anonymised MOT dataset, 2023 tests.