Used car guide

2018 Fiat 124: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2018 Fiat 124s, from 1,302 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

1,302MOT tests in 2025
85%pass first time (all 2018 cars: 81%)
4,100typical miles a year
5×the usual rate for sidelights

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2018 Fiat 124s than on all cars registered in 2018.

  • Sidelights5× usual
    Fiat 124
    3.5% All 2018 cars
    0.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.4%, against 0.6% of all 2018 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

  • Number plate lights2.5× usual
    Fiat 124
    4.5% All 2018 cars
    1.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.3%, against 0.6% of all 2018 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £5–£40 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the number plate lights work and the plates are clean and legal.

  • Braking performance2.3× usual
    Fiat 124
    3.2% All 2018 cars
    1.4%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.9%, against 0.5% of all 2018 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: On a quiet road, brake firmly from about 30mph. The car should stop straight without pulling.

By area

The share of 2018 Fiat 124 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Brakes
    21% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Tyres
    20% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Lights and electrics
    12% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Suspension
    7% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    6% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    1% of testsRough price £80–£600

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.

Looking at a Fiat 124?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2017815Brakes 21%
2016658Brakes 22%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2018 Fiat 124s registered in 2018. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score