Used car guide · 2008–2020

Fiat Qubo common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Fiat Qubo, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 12,648 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

12,648MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model
4,053on the UK register
2011best 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).

2020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008

What usually goes wrong with a Fiat Qubo?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Fiat Qubo 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 Qubo 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

  • Engine oil leaks

    up to 2.9× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2010.

    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.

  • Individual direction indicators

    up to 2.4× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2010.

    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.

  • Exhaust system

    up to 2.2× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2010.

    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.

  • Coil springs

    up to 1.9× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2010.

    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.

  • Shock absorbers

    up to 1.9× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2010.

    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.

Diesel

  • Shock absorbers

    up to 2.8× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014.

    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 indicators

    up to 3.1× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2009 and 2013.

    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.

  • Windscreen

    up to 2.6× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2009 and 2011.

    Rough price £60–£300 our estimate

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

Fiat Qubo MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2011 Fiat Qubo did best (64% passed first time, 2 points above all 2011 cars) and the 2017 did worst (75%, 5 points below all 2017 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
202085%87% -2111 (small sample)
201983%85% -2330 (small sample)
201873%83% -10354 (small sample)
201775%80% -5621
201673%77% -4489 (small sample)
201570%74% -4550
201466%70% -4882
201363%67% -41,781
201263%64% -12,517
201164%62% +21,866
201057%60% -31,846
200956%59% -31,301

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Fiat Qubo

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

  1. Any recent work on the shock absorbers? (Flagged at MOT 2.8× as often on the Fiat Qubo as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the coil springs? (Flagged at MOT 3.1× as often on the Fiat Qubo as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the engine oil leaks? (Flagged at MOT 2.2× as often on the Fiat Qubo as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Fiat Qubo?

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