2025 MOT results
Abarth 500 common problems
The most common reason a Abarth 500 fails its MOT is a split joint boot, on 10.7% of its 1,732 failed tests in 2025. Against other cars of the same age, 7 faults stand out, the widest gaps being: emissions above the limit at 6.9% of failures against 2.1% expected; a split joint boot at 10.7% of failures against 4.8% expected; headlamp aim out of line at 9.5% of failures against 4.7% expected.
- Tests in 2025 5,236 Cars aged three and over
- Failed first time 33.1% 1,732 tests
- Found a dangerous defect 8.2% Unsafe to drive away
- Ended with an advisory 60.0% A problem to watch, not a failure
What fails a Abarth 500 MOT
Each bar is the share of failed Abarth 500 tests with that defect. Where we can compare it with cars of the same registration years, the marker shows what an average car of those ages records (11 of the 12 items below).
Most common reasons for failure
A test can fail for more than one defect, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Defect | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Body, chassis, structure | 10.7% |
| Suspension arms: ball joint excessively worn Suspension | 10.2% |
| Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 9.5% |
| Shock absorbers: excessively worn bush Suspension | 8.4% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush excessively worn Suspension | 8.4% |
| Position lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 7.0% |
| Catalyst emissions: lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits Noise, emissions and leaks | 6.9% |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Visibility | 6.9% |
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 6.3% |
| Headlamp aim: too low Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 6.0% |
| Shock absorbers: serious fluid leak Suspension | 5.8% |
| Stop lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 5.8% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
-
Split joint boot
10.7% of failures 4.8% expected 2.2 times as often
A split rubber boot on a joint or driveshaft. The joint may still be sound, but dirt and water get in once the boot is open.
Turn the wheels to full lock and look behind them for greasy splits in the rubber concertina.
-
Worn steering or suspension joint
10.2% of failures 6.6% expected 1.5 times as often
Play in a steering or suspension joint, where a worn ball and socket lets the wheel move where it should not.
A knock at low speed over rough ground, or vague steering, is the usual warning.
-
Headlamp aim out of line
9.5% of failures 4.7% expected 2 times as often
The beam pattern points too high, too low, or in the wrong place, so it either dazzles others or lights too little road.
Nothing to do at the roadside, but a garage resets the aim in minutes; a sagging suspension corner or a heavy boot load can throw it out.
-
Leaking damper
8.4% of failures
A damper leaking its oil, so it no longer controls the spring.
A wet, dirty streak down the damper body, or a corner that keeps bouncing after you push it down.
-
Worn suspension bushes
8.4% of failures 5.3% expected 1.6 times as often
Worn rubber bushes in a suspension arm, letting the arm move under load.
Perished or cracked rubber at the inner ends of the lower arms, visible with the wheel turned.
-
Sidelight out
7.0% of failures 10.4% expected somewhat less often
A sidelight, also called a position lamp, not working. It marks the width of the car at night.
Walk round the car with the lights on and the hazards going; these are the cheapest failures to avoid.
Which parts of the car fail
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment is the area that most often fails a Abarth 500, on 45.2% of failed tests. The widest gap against cars of the same registration years is body, chassis, structure, on 16.8% against 11.7% expected.
Failure categories
DVSA's own sections of the test. The marker is what cars of the same registration years record.
| Defect category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 45.2% |
| Suspension | 42.4% |
| Tyres | 20.3% |
| Brakes | 17.6% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 16.8% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 15.2% |
| Visibility | 13.3% |
| Steering | 4.0% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What testers warn about
60.0% of Abarth 500 tests ended with at least one advisory: a fault the tester found that did not fail the test. On Abarth 500s, these are the items to ask about on a car you are viewing, because they are what the last tester expected to go next.
Most common advisories
Share of all tests, passes included.
| Advisory | Share of tests |
|---|---|
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 18.5% |
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres | 18.4% |
| Coil spring: corroded Suspension | 11.3% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension | 9.0% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 6.8% |
| Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened Suspension | 6.4% |
| Shock absorbers: light misting of oil Suspension | 6.2% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 6.2% |
| Shock absorbers: slightly worn bush Suspension | 4.4% |
| Suspension arms: ball joint has slight play Suspension | 4.0% |
| Macpherson strut: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension | 3.9% |
| Exhaust system: minor leak of exhaust gases Body, chassis, structure | 3.6% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Abarth 500 problems: common questions
What is the most common problem with a Abarth 500?
Of the faults that fail an MOT, “Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt” is the most common: it appears on 10.7% of failed Abarth 500 tests. Across categories, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment is the area that most often fails one, on 45.2% of failed tests.
How often does a Abarth 500 fail its MOT?
33.1% of Abarth 500 tests in 2025 were not passed first time, from 5,236 tests of cars aged three and over. Allowing for the age and mileage of the cars tested, that gives it a UK Motoring Reliability Score of 50 out of 100, where 50 is as expected.
Does anything fail more often on a Abarth 500 than on other cars?
Yes. “Catalyst emissions: lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits” appears on 6.9% of its failures against 2.1% for cars of the same age, and “Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt” appears on 10.7% of its failures against 4.8% for cars of the same age. Where an item is missing from the national figures for a year, we use the smallest share those figures show, so the comparison never overstates the difference.
Are these the same as breakdowns or known faults?
No. These are the items a tester recorded at the MOT, which covers condition and safety: lamps, brakes, tyres, suspension, corrosion and emissions. A gearbox that is unpleasant, an infotainment screen that has died, or a car that will not start on a cold morning are not part of the test, so they are not in these figures.
Where do the figures come from?
Every normal MOT test of a Abarth 500 aged three and over in Great Britain in 2025, from DVSA's anonymised MOT results. Retests are excluded, and the same fault on more than one wheel counts once.
Data stories to read next
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOT defects and advisories | Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency Derived statistics UK Motoring | 2025 | 5,236 MOT tests | 19 September 2026 |
- Shares for defects are of failed tests; shares for advisories are of all tests. A test can carry several defects, so shares add to more than 100%.
- The expected share is what an average car of the same registration years records, weighted by where this model’s failures fall. Where an item is outside the national figures for a year, the smallest share those figures show is used in its place, which is an upper bound, so the comparison never overstates a model’s problems. No expectation is published where less than 80% of the model’s failures can be compared.
- Great Britain only: DVSA does not run MOT testing in Northern Ireland. Cars under three years old are not tested.
- The descriptions of what each part does are general and the same on every model. Every figure comes from the MOT data.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.