Used car guide

2016 Fiat 500C: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2016 Fiat 500Cs, from 2,206 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

2,206MOT tests in 2025
71%pass first time (all 2016 cars: 75%)
4,900typical miles a year
6.4×the usual rate for shock absorbers

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2016 Fiat 500Cs than on all cars registered in 2016.

  • Shock absorbers6.4× usual
    Fiat 500C
    27.7% All 2016 cars
    4.3%

    Failed outright at MOT: 9.8%, against 0.9% of all 2016 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £200–£300 (pair, average rear to front) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints2.1× usual
    Fiat 500C
    12.9% All 2016 cars
    6.1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 5.4%, against 1.1% of all 2016 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

  • Front strut mounts and bushes15.3× usual
    Fiat 500C
    4.6% All 2016 cars
    0.3%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.5%, against 0% of all 2016 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £120–£400 our estimate

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

  • Exhaust system2.9× usual
    Fiat 500C
    5.8% All 2016 cars
    2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.7%, against 0.5% of all 2016 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£500 (pipe or section) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for blowing or rattling from underneath at idle, and look for black soot around joints.

  • Sub-frame3.1× usual
    Fiat 500C
    2.8% All 2016 cars
    0.9%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0%, against 0% of all 2016 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

By area

The share of 2016 Fiat 500C MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    43% 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.

  • Tyres
    33% 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.

  • Brakes
    25% 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.

  • Lights and electrics
    8% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    5% of testsRough price £15–£250

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

  • Exhaust and emissions
    5% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

    At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for engine or DPF warning lights.

Looking at a Fiat 500C?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2018577Tyres 30%
20171,589Tyres 32%
20152,580Suspension 47%
20142,295Suspension 48%
20132,002Suspension 50%
20122,168Suspension 52%
20111,311Suspension 53%
20101,463Suspension 54%
2009781Suspension 54%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2016 Fiat 500Cs registered in 2016. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score