Fiat Carado MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 1,238 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 11.6%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Fiat Carado MOT Reliability Overview
The Fiat Carado is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 1,238 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 6 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 88.4% and a failure rate of 11.6%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Fiat Carado earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average Fiat Carado presents for MOT with approximately 16,758 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2016 models achieve the highest pass rate at 95.0%, while 2018 models have the lowest at 81.5%. This 13.5 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Fiat Carado is Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment, affecting 6.9% of all tests. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. The second most common issue is Visibility at 5.2%. Tyres rounds out the top three at 4.0%. Together, these top 3 failure categories account for a significant portion of all MOT failures for this model.
Top failures across all manufacture years combined. Individual year pages may show different top failures.
What Fails Most
Best Year to Buy
📈 How Each Vintage Ages
Pass Rate by Manufacture Year
* High Fail Rate badge indicates an MOT pass rate below 65% (failure rate above 35%).
What Fails on This Car?
Click a category to see specific failure items.
View as table
| Rank | Failure Category | Rate (%) | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamps, Reflectors And Electrical Equipment | 6.9% | 85 |
| 2 | Visibility | 5.2% | 64 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.0% | 49 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.0% | 37 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.5% | 18 |
| 6 | Seat Belts And Supplementary Restraint Systems | 0.7% | 9 |
| 7 | Body, Chassis, Structure | 0.4% | 5 |
| 8 | Noise, Emissions And Leaks | 0.4% | 5 |
| 9 | Non-component Advisories | 0.3% | 4 |
| 10 | Steering | 0.2% | 3 |
| 11 | Driver's View Of The Road | 0.1% | 1 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 16,758 miFor every 10,000 miles driven, this shows what percentage of MOT tests fail for each category. This accounts for how far cars are actually driven, not just raw pass/fail counts.
View as table
| Category | Rate / 10K mi | Raw % | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps & Electrical | 4.10 | 6.9% | 85 |
| Visibility | 3.13 | 5.3% | 65 |
| Tyres | 2.36 | 4.0% | 49 |
| Brakes | 1.78 | 3.0% | 37 |
| Suspension | 0.87 | 1.5% | 18 |
| Seat Belts | 0.43 | 0.7% | 9 |
| Body & Structure | 0.24 | 0.4% | 5 |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.24 | 0.4% | 5 |
| Non-component advisories | 0.19 | 0.3% | 4 |
| Steering | 0.14 | 0.2% | 3 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Fiat Carado has 16,758 miles when tested for MOT.
📊 Mileage-Adjusted Failure Rate
How often this car fails MOT relative to how much it's driven — a fairer comparison than raw pass rate.
The Fiat Carado has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 6.92% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is worse than average.
About Fiat Carado MOT Data
The Fiat Carado is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 1,238 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 6 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 88.4% and a failure rate of 11.6%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Fiat Carado owners, these results suggest a reliable vehicle that generally passes its MOT without major issues. Focus your pre-MOT checks on lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment and visibility for the best chance of a first-time pass. Use our detailed year-by-year breakdown and failure analysis below to understand how your specific Carado is likely to perform.
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 6.9% of failures
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment issues account for 6.9% of MOT failures on the Fiat Carado. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs: £5–50. Pre-MOT check: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test.
Visibility — 5.2% of failures
Visibility issues account for 5.2% of MOT failures on the Fiat Carado. Visibility failures relate to the windscreen, wipers, washers, mirrors, and view-obstructing damage. Cracks in the windscreen swept area, ineffective wipers, or empty washer bottles are common causes. Typical repair costs: £10–300. Pre-MOT check: Check the windscreen for chips and cracks — damage larger than 10mm in the driver's swept area or 40mm elsewhere will fail. Test washers and wipers. Ensure both door mirrors are intact and adjustable.
Tyres — 4.0% of failures
Tyres issues account for 4.0% of MOT failures on the Fiat Carado. Tyre failures include tread depth below the legal minimum of 1.6mm, cuts, bulges, exposed cords, and incorrect tyre pressure. Tyres are one of the most common and easiest-to-prevent MOT failures. Typical repair costs: £50–200 per tyre. Pre-MOT check: Check tread depth with a 20p coin — if the outer band is visible, the tyre is too worn. Look for bulges, cuts, or embedded objects. Ensure all tyres match the recommended size and load rating.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Fiat Carado?
Based on 1,238 MOT tests in our database, the Fiat Carado has an overall pass rate of 88.4% (11.6% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Fiat Carado?
The top 3 reasons a Fiat Carado fails its MOT are: 1. Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (6.9%), 2. Visibility (5.2%), 3. Tyres (4.0%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Fiat Carado reliable?
With a 11.6% MOT failure rate, the Carado is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Fiat Carado?
Based on failure data, focus on: Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (6.9%); Visibility (5.2%); Tyres (4.0%). These are the areas most likely to cause a fail. Also check all lights, tyres (minimum 1.6mm tread), and windscreen condition — these are quick wins that apply to all cars.
Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.