Used car guide · 2016–2019

Fiat Fullback common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Fiat Fullback, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 8,470 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

8,470MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model
2017best 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).

2019201820172016

What usually goes wrong with a Fiat Fullback?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Fiat Fullback 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 Fullback 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 2023–2025.

  • Rigid brake pipes

    up to 19.5× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

    Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.

  • Windscreen

    up to 2.5× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

    Rough price £60–£300 our estimate

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

  • Anti-roll bar bushes and joints

    up to 21.5× usual

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

    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.

  • Number plate lights

    up to 3.1× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2017 and 2018.

    Rough price £5–£40 our estimate

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

  • Shock absorbers

    up to 2.4× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2016 and 2017.

    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.

Fiat Fullback MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2017 Fiat Fullback did best (82% passed first time, 2 points above all 2017 cars) and the 2019 did worst (82%, 3 points below all 2019 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
201982%85% -3798
201882%83% -12,946
201782%80% +23,819
201675%77% -2907

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Fiat Fullback

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

  1. Any recent work on the rigid brake pipes? (Flagged at MOT 19.5× as often on the Fiat Fullback as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the windscreen? (Flagged at MOT 2.5× as often on the Fiat Fullback as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the anti-roll bar bushes and joints? (Flagged at MOT 21.5× as often on the Fiat Fullback as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Fiat Fullback?

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