Used car guide

2005 Fiat Doblo: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2005 Fiat Doblos, from 892 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

892MOT tests in 2025
50%pass first time (all 2005 cars: 58%)
5,700typical miles a year
2.6×the usual rate for windscreen

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2005 Fiat Doblos than on all cars registered in 2005.

  • Windscreen2.6× usual
    Fiat Doblo
    10.5% All 2005 cars
    4.1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.2%, against 0.1% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £60–£300 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check for chips or cracks in the driver's view.

  • Anti-roll bar bushes and joints4.3× usual
    Fiat Doblo
    6.8% All 2005 cars
    1.6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.5%, against 0.3% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£280 (pair of drop links) Checkatrade

    At the viewing: Drive slowly over bumps and listen for a knock or rattle from the front. Worn anti-roll bar links are a cheap fix.

  • Shock absorbers1.8× usual
    Fiat Doblo
    12.7% All 2005 cars
    6.9%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.3%, against 1.7% of all 2005 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.

  • Individual direction indicators2.5× usual
    Fiat Doblo
    8.6% All 2005 cars
    3.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3%, against 1.5% of all 2005 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.

  • Rust around suspension or steering mountings1.9× usual
    Fiat Doblo
    11.3% All 2005 cars
    6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 8.3%, against 2.7% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£450 our estimate

    At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.

Better than most

Suspension arm bushes and joints: 4.3% here, against 10.7% of all 2005 cars. Brake pads: 3.3% here, against 7.7% of all 2005 cars.

By area

The share of 2005 Fiat Doblo MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    51% 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.

  • Lights and electrics
    50% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Tyres
    38% 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
    35% 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.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    21% 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
    21% 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 Doblo?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2022694Tyres 27%
20211,890Tyres 27%
20201,204Tyres 28%
20191,683Tyres 29%
20181,986Tyres 29%
20172,447Tyres 32%
20163,357Suspension 36%
20154,572Suspension 37%
20145,396Suspension 41%
20136,067Suspension 32%
20121,924Suspension 48%
20111,736Suspension 49%
20101,639Suspension 44%
20091,440Tyres 38%
20081,751Suspension 41%
20071,887Suspension 49%
20061,385Suspension 48%
2004621Suspension 53%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2005 Fiat Doblos registered in 2005. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score