Petrol Fiat 500 L: MOT pass rate

67.9% of petrol Fiat 500 Ls pass the MOT first time, measured across 1,471 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 69,391.

Petrol against the other Fiat 500 L versions

Why the fuel type changes the number

Petrol cars avoid the DPF and emissions failures that catch diesels, and usually fail on the same consumables as any other car.

On the Fiat 500 L specifically, petrol is the strongest at 67.9%, and this petrol version sits 1.2 points above the 66.7% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

The petrol Fiat 500 L is the stronger side of this model on MOT data. Still judge the individual car, but the fuel type is a mild point in its favour. Buying a damaged one? run it through the analyzer, check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.

Mileage is part of the answer

The average petrol Fiat 500 L had covered 69,391 miles at test, against 80,392 for the diesel. That is a shade above the middle of the range, still ordinary wear rather than a red flag, but worth checking against the service book for the car's age.

Fuel type and mileage are tangled together: diesels are usually bought by higher-mileage drivers, so some of any gap between fuels is the miles rather than the engine. The per-year figures on the Fiat 500 L page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Most common MOT failures on a petrol Fiat 500 L

1. A shock absorber bush excessively worn, 2.7% of tests (14.18x the national rate for this defect)
2. Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer, 4.5% of tests (8.9x the national rate for this defect)
3. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 4.5% of tests (4.42x the national rate for this defect)
4. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 11.2% of tests (2.22x the national rate for this defect)
5. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 2.9% of tests (2.21x the national rate for this defect)
6. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 3.5% of tests (1.52x the national rate for this defect)
7. Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 2% of tests (1.47x the national rate for this defect)
8. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 2.3% of tests (1.39x the national rate for this defect)
9. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 2.3% of tests (1.35x the national rate for this defect)
10. A tyre seriously damaged, 3.3% of tests (1.19x the national rate for this defect)

From 1,497 DVSA-tracked petrol Fiat 500 L tests, 2024, split out from the Fiat 500 L's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 4.72% of these flagged defects as "dangerous", against 5.11% nationally. See which fuel type fails on the most dangerous defects nationally for how that compares across the whole fleet.

Most common MOT advisories on a petrol Fiat 500 L

Flagged but doesn't fail the car, a different list from the failures above.

1. A shock absorber bush excessively worn, 3.5% of tests (7.43x the national rate for this defect), also fails
2. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 13.6% of tests (4.77x the national rate for this defect), also fails
3. A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mounting, 2.6% of tests (2.44x the national rate for this defect)
4. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 10.6% of tests (2.25x the national rate for this defect), also fails
5. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 10.2% of tests (1.84x the national rate for this defect)
6. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 18.8% of tests (1.53x the national rate for this defect)
7. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 4.7% of tests (1.49x the national rate for this defect)
8. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 5.5% of tests (1.42x the national rate for this defect)
9. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 6.3% of tests (1.21x the national rate for this defect)
10. A tyre seriously damaged, 18.4% of tests (1.19x the national rate for this defect), also fails

From 1,497 DVSA-tracked petrol Fiat 500 L tests, 2024.

Other Fiat 500 L fuel types

• Diesel Fiat 500 L - 66.1%

All Fiat 500 L MOT data · Every model