Fiat 500 Car CheckFull history check, MOT history and common problems
Free Fiat 500 vehicle check by reg: MOT history, mileage and tax. Buying one? The full car history check shows outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, stolen markers, keepers and plate changes.
- 75% MOT pass rate
- 2,706 500s checked
Fiat 500 reg check
Full Fiat 500 history check from £3.99
The MOT record is free, and it only shows the car's condition on test day. What a seller may not mention is in the full Fiat 500 car check:
- Outstanding finance: lender and agreement
- Insurance write-off: Cat S, N, C or D
- Police stolen marker
- High risk register
- Previous keepers and last change
- Plate and colour changes
- Scrapped, imported or exported
- Mileage anomaly check
£3.99 a report in the 5-report bundle, £11.99 for a single report; unused reports never expire. Shown on screen straight away and sent by email. No subscription. Start with the free check: you only pay for the full report.
Free Fiat 500 MOT History and Mileage Data
What the MOT records of 2,437 Fiat 500 vehicles show. The full check above covers what the MOT doesn't.
- 75%of MOT tests passedUK average 77%
- 5,400typical miles a year
- 5.4%have a mileage anomalyan MOT reading lower than an earlier one
- 27,981MOT tests analysed
- 2011–2016built (middle half)
- 96%petrol; 4% diesel
Fiat 500 common problems: most common MOT failures and advisories
The defects MOT testers record most often on the Fiat 500, as a share of all its MOT tests (the same defect on any wheel or side counts once): the 500's known weak points. Check these on the car you're viewing, or on your own before its next MOT.
Top 20 Fiat 500 MOT failures
Reasons the car failed its MOT.
- Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively2.0%
- Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.0%
- Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid1.9%
- Brake pad less than 1.5 mm thick1.7%
- Parking brake efficiency below requirements1.6%
- Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak1.5%
- Shock absorbers has an excessively worn bush1.5%
- Position lamp not working1.4%
- Stop lamp not working1.4%
- Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn1.4%
Show all 20
- Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn1.3%
- Headlamp not working on dipped beam1.2%
- Tyre has ply or cords exposed1.1%
- Headlamp aim too low1.0%
- Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect0.8%
- Headlamp aim too high0.7%
- Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush0.7%
- Parking brake inoperative on one side0.6%
- Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords0.6%
- Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits0.5%
Top 20 Fiat 500 MOT advisories
Wear the tester noted: not a failure yet, but money to budget for.
- Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge9.0%
- Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened5.8%
- Brake pad wearing thin4.9%
- Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing4.5%
- Coil spring corroded3.6%
- Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases3.5%
- Tyre worn close to the legal limit3.2%
- Shock absorbers has light misting of oil3.1%
- Oil leak, but not excessive2.8%
- Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush2.4%
Show all 20
- Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement2.2%
- Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect1.5%
- Nail in tyre1.3%
- Suspension arm ball joint has slight play1.3%
- Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened1.3%
- Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread1.1%
- Service brake binding but not excessively1.0%
- Corroded0.9%
- Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt0.9%
- Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources0.9%
- Suspension: 39% of failed tests
- Lights and indicators: 34% of failed tests
- Brakes: 25% of failed tests
- Tyres: 21% of failed tests
- Windscreen and wipers: 19% of failed tests
- Tyres advisory: 28% of tests
- Suspension advisory: 23% of tests
- Brakes advisory: 18% of tests
Based on the DVSA MOT histories of all 2,437 Fiat 500 vehicles with an MOT checked on CarCheckUp since April 2023 (27,981 tests, retests included). Updated 2 October 2026. Every MOT test and advisory for one car is in the free MOT history check, and our free mileage check flags a lower reading. Market-wide figures: UK Used Car Risk Report. How we calculate these figures. MOT and DVLA data: contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Fiat 500 versions
Every Fiat 500 version checked on CarCheckUp counts on this page, grouped by the word after "500" in the DVLA record. Pass rates where at least 300 vehicles were checked.
| Version | Vehicles | MOT pass rate | Top failure area |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 (no version recorded) | 2,233 | 75% | Suspension |
500 C
|
40 | – | – |
500 Dolcevita
|
39 | – | – |
500 L
|
37 | – | – |
500 Lounge
|
35 | – | – |
500 Star
|
20 | – | – |
500 Sport
|
13 | – | – |
Key history checks before buying a used Fiat 500
All of these are in every full report, with 150+ more data points.
Outstanding finance
A Fiat on hire purchase, PCP or a logbook loan may still belong to the lender. Buying it can lead to a dispute over who owns it. Outstanding finance check
Insurance write-off (Cat S, N, C, D)
Shows if an insurer declared the car a total loss. Cat S and N cars can return to the road, but the record lowers the value and can affect insurance. Write-off check
Police stolen marker
Checks the Police National Computer. A stolen car can be taken back, leaving you without the car or your money. Stolen car check
High risk register
Shows if a finance company, insurer or the police has registered an interest in the 500. Find out why before you buy.
Mileage anomaly check & MOT history
Free: every MOT mileage reading compared for drops, with advisories and failures. Free mileage check
Previous keepers & plate changes
How many keepers the car has had and when, plus number plate changes that can separate a car from its history. Previous owners check
More free and full vehicle checks for a Fiat 500
Full Fiat 500 car check from £3.99 a report
Finance, write-off, stolen, keepers, plate changes and 150+ data points on the Fiat 500 you're looking at. The MOT history and mileage come free.
Check a 500 by reg → See a sample reportFiat 500 MOT questions
Is a Fiat 500 car check free?
The MOT history, mileage anomaly check, tax and DVLA details of any Fiat 500 are free. The full car history check (finance, write-off, stolen, keepers and 150+ data points) is paid, from £3.99 a report.
What is the most common MOT failure on the Fiat 500?
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively: found at 2.0% of the Fiat 500 MOT tests we analysed. By area, suspension items appear in 39% of failed tests.
What is the Fiat 500 MOT pass rate?
75% of 27,981 MOT tests on 2,437 Fiat 500 vehicles checked on CarCheckUp were passed (retests included). The UK average across all vehicles we checked is 77%.
What are the common problems with the Fiat 500?
Going by its MOT records, the Fiat 500's most common failures are windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (2.0% of tests); tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (2.0% of tests); windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (1.9% of tests). The full list of the top 20 MOT failures and advisories is on this page.
What is the most common MOT advisory on the Fiat 500?
Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge: noted at 9.0% of tests. An advisory is not a failure, but it is wear to budget for.
How many miles a year is a Fiat 500 typically driven?
About 5,400 miles a year (the median, from MOT mileage readings). 5.4% have a mileage anomaly: an MOT reading lower than an earlier one.