Used car guide · 1937–2026

Fiat 500 common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Fiat 500, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 344,521 MOTs done during 2025), and what to check before you buy one.

344,521MOTs done in 2025, all years of this model
415,572on the UK register
3known faults across all years
2023best year at its MOT

Pick the year

Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).

202620252024202320222021202020192018201720162015201420132012201120102009200820071973197219711970196919681967196619651964196319381937

What usually goes wrong with a Fiat 500?

Known faults reported by owners, mechanics and UK buying guides, in our own words. Most apply to certain years or engines only, so check which the car has.

  • Worn clutch (ex-learner cars)

    Cars registered 2008–2020 · Manual gearbox

    Lots of 500s were driving school cars, which can wear the clutch early. Owners also report costly gearbox faults.

    At the viewing: On the test drive, accelerate hard in a high gear. If the revs rise without the car speeding up, the clutch is slipping. Notchy changes are another warning sign.

    If it needs doing: Clutch replacement, about £250–£600. ClickMechanic

    Source: What Car?: used Fiat 500 advice

  • Several recalls by build date

    Cars registered 2008–2020 · All engines

    There have been recalls for driveshafts, brakes, steering and lights, plus a fuel leak that could stall early cars built in autumn 2008.

    At the viewing: Ask a Fiat dealer to check the VIN for outstanding recalls.

    Source: What Car?: used Fiat 500 advice

  • Warning lights and electrical faults

    Cars registered 2008–2020 · All engines

    Owners often report dashboard warning lights and electrical gremlins.

    At the viewing: Make sure every warning light comes on and then goes out at start-up, and test the air con and electrics.

    Source: What Car?: used Fiat 500 advice

Common Fiat 500 MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, in more than one year. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2025.

  • Shock absorbers

    up to 4.9× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

    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.

  • Exhaust system

    up to 5.1× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

    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.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints

    up to 4.3× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

    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.

  • Coil springs

    up to 2.1× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

    Rough price £175–£400 (pair, one axle) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Look behind each wheel for a snapped spring coil, and listen for a clunk or twang when turning the wheel lock to lock with the car stopped.

  • Front strut mounts and bushes

    up to 15.5× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2008, 2009, 2016, 2017 and 2018.

    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.

  • Sub-frame

    up to 2.8× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

    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.

Fiat 500 MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2023 Fiat 500 did best (93% passed first time, 1 point above all 2023 cars) and the 2015 did worst (64%, 8 points below all 2015 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
202393%92% +1729
202290%89% +112,174
202188%87% +112,652
202085%86% -113,744
201980%84% -421,326
201877%81% -423,577
201774%78% -422,610
201669%75% -631,260
201564%72% -836,754
201463%69% -640,169
201363%66% -334,427
201261%63% -227,069
201158%61% -319,733
201057%59% -219,767
200955%58% -318,415
200855%57% -210,008
200756%57% -1107 (small sample)

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Fiat 500

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Has the clutch been replaced, and was it ever a driving school car?
  2. Has all the recall work been done?
  3. Have there been any electrical faults?
  4. Any recent work on the shock absorbers? (Flagged at MOT 4.9× as often on the Fiat 500 as on other cars the same age.)
  5. Any recent work on the exhaust system? (Flagged at MOT 5.1× as often on the Fiat 500 as on other cars the same age.)
  6. Any recent work on the suspension arm bushes and joints? (Flagged at MOT 4.3× as often on the Fiat 500 as on other cars the same age.)

Looking at a Fiat 500?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score