Used car guide · 2013–2021

Fiat 500L common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Fiat 500L, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 51,697 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

51,697MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model
17,607on the UK register
2013best 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).

202120202019201820172016201520142013

What usually goes wrong with a Fiat 500L?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Fiat 500L in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.

Common Fiat 500L MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, for each fuel on its own. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.

Petrol

  • Track rod ends

    up to 6.1× usual

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

    Rough price £50–£150 (one end, plus about £30–£50 if it needs a wheel alignment) ClickMechanic

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

  • Exhaust system

    up to 4.9× usual

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

    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.

  • Brake lights

    up to 4.5× usual

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

    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.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints

    up to 2.7× usual

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

    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 8.8× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2017 and 2018.

    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.

  • Transmission oil leaks

    up to 6.8× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2013 and 2014.

    Rough price £80–£600 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and where the car is usually parked for fresh oil. Ask whether the leak has been looked at.

Diesel

  • Track rod ends

    up to 5.1× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.

    Rough price £50–£150 (one end, plus about £30–£50 if it needs a wheel alignment) ClickMechanic

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

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints

    up to 2.5× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017.

    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.

  • Steering rack inner joints

    up to 4.7× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

    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.

  • Engine warning light

    up to 3.6× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2016 and 2017.

    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.

  • Brake lights

    up to 2.7× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2015 and 2017.

    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.

  • Engine oil leaks

    up to 2.4× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2014 and 2015.

    Rough price £80–£600 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and where the car is usually parked for fresh oil. Ask whether the leak has been looked at.

Fiat 500L MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2013 Fiat 500L did best (62% passed first time, 5 points below all 2013 cars) and the 2018 did worst (70%, 13 points below all 2018 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
202178%87% -9369 (small sample)
202080%87% -7192 (small sample)
201975%85% -10484 (small sample)
201870%83% -131,784
201767%80% -132,616
201669%77% -84,831
201565%74% -98,853
201463%70% -720,230
201362%67% -512,338

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Fiat 500L

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

  1. Any recent work on the track rod ends? (Flagged at MOT 5.7× as often on the Fiat 500L as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the brake lights? (Flagged at MOT 3.7× as often on the Fiat 500L as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the suspension arm bushes and joints? (Flagged at MOT 2.8× as often on the Fiat 500L as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Fiat 500L?

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 2023–2025, 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