At a Glance
The Alfa Romeo 156 has 15 identified common problems across 1 generation, with the 932 (1997-2007) being the most affected generation and suspension the most common problem category. Based on 340K MOT tests from DVSA data.
Problems are patterns in the DVSA data that occur significantly more often on a specific model than the UK average — confirmed at 99% statistical confidence. Read our DVSA MOT data methodology →
Below: generation-by-generation comparison of Alfa Romeo 156 common problems, MOT failure types, and pass-rate data drawn from DVSA records. Click any generation to see fuel- and engine-specific fault patterns, mileage-banded repair guidance, and the most common MOT failures testers record.
MOT Tests & Failures by Generation
Alfa Romeo 156 generations by MOT tests, failures, and identified problems from DVSA data
Hover over each bar for a full breakdown. Tap any bar to view that generation's problems.
Showing total MOT tests, failures, and known problems per make. Hover over each bar for a full breakdown.
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Most Common Alfa Romeo 156 MOT Failures
Every reason Alfa Romeo 156 vehicles fail their MOT, ranked by frequency. Select an individual year to see only that year’s failures, or stay on ‘All time’ for the combined picture across our 20 years of DVSA data. Scroll inside the table for the full list.
| # | Failure | % of failures |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyre tread depth below limit | 12.67% |
| 2 | Suspension joint or bush worn | 8.43% |
| 3 | Wiper blades deteriorated | 8.41% |
| 4 | Number plate lamp not working | 7.23% |
| 5 | Tyre condition | 5.72% |
| 6 | Brake pads or linings worn | 4.37% |
| 7 | Front lamp not working | 4.37% |
| 8 | Brake performance below minimum | 4.11% |
| 9 | Windscreen washer not working | 3.93% |
| 10 | Stop lamp not working | 3.78% |
| 11 | Exhaust system fault | 3.45% |
| 12 | Brake hydraulic component worn | 3.14% |
| 13 | Brake disc or drum worn | 3.03% |
| 14 | Driveshaft fault | 2.86% |
| 15 | Headlamp aim defect | 2.83% |
| 16 | Suspension mounting corroded | 1.63% |
| 17 | Catalytic converter efficiency low | 1.56% |
| 18 | Rear lamp not working | 1.05% |
| 19 | Airbag warning light on | 0.95% |
| 20 | Body corrosion or damage | 0.92% |
| 21 | Parking brake condition | 0.76% |
| 22 | Chassis condition | 0.74% |
| 23 | Subframe mounting corroded | 0.72% |
| 24 | Position lamp not working | 0.67% |
| 25 | Steering rack fault | 0.66% |
| 26 | Indicator fault | 0.64% |
| 27 | ABS fault | 0.63% |
| 28 | Fog lamp not working | 0.61% |
| 29 | Front suspension joint worn | 0.53% |
| 30 | Track rod end worn | 0.51% |
| 31 | Horn not working | 0.50% |
| 32 | Shock absorber worn or leaking | 0.47% |
| 33 | Windscreen damage affecting view | 0.47% |
| 34 | Spark ignition emissions above threshold | 0.46% |
| 35 | Mirror damaged or missing | 0.40% |
| 36 | Coil spring broken or corroded | 0.39% |
| 37 | Rear suspension fault | 0.38% |
| 38 | Seat belt condition | 0.34% |
| 39 | Front suspension fault | 0.29% |
| 40 | Headlamp fault | 0.29% |
| 41 | Battery loose or leaking | 0.24% |
| 42 | Tyre size or type not matched | 0.23% |
| 43 | Parking brake performance below minimum | 0.23% |
| 44 | Fuel cap damaged or missing | 0.19% |
| 45 | Brake fluid leak | 0.18% |
| 46 | MacPherson strut worn | 0.18% |
| 47 | Handbrake cable fault | 0.17% |
| 48 | Brake pedal movement restricted | 0.16% |
| 49 | Steering arm worn | 0.16% |
| 50 | Rigid brake pipe corroded or damaged | 0.16% |
| 51 | Steering free play excessive | 0.15% |
| 52 | Power steering pipe or hose leaking | 0.14% |
| 53 | Ball joint dust cover split | 0.14% |
| 54 | Brake caliper fault | 0.14% |
| 55 | Suspension linkage fault | 0.14% |
| 56 | Bonnet catch or hinge fault | 0.13% |
| 57 | Flexible brake hose damaged | 0.13% |
| 58 | Electrical switch fault | 0.12% |
| 59 | Compression ignition emissions above threshold | 0.11% |
| 60 | Vehicle structure corrosion | 0.11% |
| 61 | Rear reflector damaged or missing | 0.10% |
| 62 | Driver airbag fault | 0.10% |
| 63 | Bonded suspension condition | 0.09% |
| 64 | Spring mounting corroded | 0.09% |
| 65 | Brake pedal fault | 0.08% |
| 66 | Fuel tank corroded or leaking | 0.07% |
| 67 | Drag link end worn | 0.07% |
| 68 | Suspension arm worn or corroded | 0.06% |
| 69 | Dashboard warning lamp fault | 0.06% |
| 70 | Rear fog lamp not working | 0.06% |
| 71 | Steering operation fault | 0.06% |
| 72 | Electrical wiring fault | 0.06% |
| 73 | Brake lever fault | 0.05% |
| 74 | Subframe corrosion or damage | 0.05% |
| 75 | Body security fault | 0.05% |
| 76 | Brake cable, rod, lever or linkage fault | 0.05% |
| 77 | Wheel bearing worn | 0.04% |
| 78 | Steering lock fault | 0.04% |
| 79 | Steering column fault | 0.04% |
| 80 | Tie bar or rod worn or corroded | 0.04% |
| 81 | Electronic stability control fault | 0.04% |
| 82 | Vehicle floor corroded | 0.03% |
| 83 | Handbrake mechanism or mounting fault | 0.03% |
| 84 | Tyre valve stem damaged | 0.03% |
| 85 | Brake back plate corroded or damaged | 0.03% |
| 86 | Anti-roll bar worn or corroded | 0.03% |
| 87 | Brake fluid warning light on | 0.03% |
| 88 | CV joint worn | 0.03% |
| 89 | Engine oil leak | 0.02% |
| 90 | Fuel pipe corroded or damaged | 0.02% |
| 91 | Additional braking device fault | 0.02% |
| 92 | Trailing arm worn or corroded | 0.02% |
| 93 | Engine mounting worn or broken | 0.01% |
| 94 | Brake air or vacuum system fault | 0.01% |
| 95 | Suspension retaining or locking device fault | 0.01% |
| 96 | Undertray damaged or missing | 0.01% |
| 97 | Brake fluid level low or contaminated | 0.01% |
| 98 | Radius arm worn or corroded | 0.01% |
| 99 | Steering drive system fault | 0.01% |
| 100 | Power steering pump fault | 0.01% |
| 101 | Driver seat fault | 0.01% |
| 102 | Boot lid damaged or insecure | 0.01% |
| 103 | Headlamp levelling device fault | <0.01% |
| 104 | Propshaft fault | <0.01% |
| 105 | Power steering ram fault | <0.01% |
| 106 | Brake linkage mounting fault | <0.01% |
| 107 | Fuel hose damaged or leaking | <0.01% |
| 108 | Access panel damaged or insecure | <0.01% |
| 109 | Exhaust emissions above threshold (non-catalyst) | <0.01% |
| 110 | Passenger airbag fault | <0.01% |
| 111 | Handbrake lever fault | <0.01% |
| 112 | Suspension unit fault | <0.01% |
| 113 | Steering shaft fault | <0.01% |
| 114 | Passenger seat fault | <0.01% |
| 115 | Driver door fault | <0.01% |
| 116 | Front passenger door fault | <0.01% |
| 117 | Stub axle worn | <0.01% |
| 118 | Exhaust leak | <0.01% |
| 119 | Steering wheel damaged or insecure | <0.01% |
| 120 | Speedometer fault | <0.01% |
| 121 | Mirror or camera fault | <0.01% |
| 122 | King pin or swivel pin worn | <0.01% |
| 123 | Brake relay lever fault | <0.01% |
| 124 | Bumper damaged or insecure | <0.01% |
| 125 | Torque or reaction arm worn | <0.01% |
| 126 | Towbar fault | <0.01% |
| 127 | Panhard rod worn or corroded | <0.01% |
| 128 | Torsion bar worn or corroded | <0.01% |
| 129 | Brake fluid reservoir fault | <0.01% |
| 130 | Brake pedal linkage fault | <0.01% |
| 131 | Spare wheel fault | <0.01% |
| 132 | Tailgate damaged or insecure | <0.01% |
| 133 | Brake master cylinder or servo mounting fault | <0.01% |
| 134 | Rear fog lamp warning light fault | <0.01% |
| 135 | Steering coupling worn | <0.01% |
| 136 | Brake wheel cylinder fault | <0.01% |
| 137 | Main beam warning light fault | <0.01% |
| 138 | Transmission oil leak | <0.01% |
| 139 | Body strengthening plate corroded | <0.01% |
| 140 | Axle beam corroded or cracked | <0.01% |
| 141 | Brake clevis joint worn | <0.01% |
| 142 | Brake pressure or vacuum buildup insufficient | <0.01% |
| 143 | Brake valve fault | <0.01% |
| 144 | Electronic braking system fault | <0.01% |
| 145 | Hydraulic brake cylinder fault | <0.01% |
| 146 | Steering intermediate drop arm worn | <0.01% |
| 147 | Suspension rod worn or corroded | <0.01% |
| 148 | Transmission drive belt fault | <0.01% |
| 149 | Brake slack adjuster fault | <0.01% |
| 150 | Front fog lamp not working | <0.01% |
| 151 | Hydraulic fluid leak | <0.01% |
| 152 | Loading door damaged or insecure | <0.01% |
| 153 | Seat belt pre-tensioner fault | <0.01% |
| 154 | Semaphore indicator fault | <0.01% |
| 155 | Steering box fault | <0.01% |
| 156 | Suspension coupling worn | <0.01% |
| 157 | Wheel hub fault | <0.01% |
| 158 | Air suspension levelling valve fault | <0.01% |
| 159 | Brake servo fault | <0.01% |
| 160 | Brake stationary pin worn | <0.01% |
| 161 | Daytime running lamp not working | <0.01% |
| 162 | Electric power steering fault | <0.01% |
| 163 | Electronic parking brake fault | <0.01% |
| 164 | Halfshaft fault | <0.01% |
| 165 | Hand-operated brake valve condition | <0.01% |
| 166 | Leaf spring broken or corroded | <0.01% |
| 167 | Load sensing valve fault | <0.01% |
| 168 | Outline marker lamp not working | <0.01% |
| 169 | Seat belt anchorage fault | <0.01% |
| 170 | Steering lock stop fault | <0.01% |
| 171 | Window damaged or won't operate | <0.01% |
Showing all 171 reasons — scroll inside the table for the full list.
Alfa Romeo 156 MOT Failures by Category
Total MOT failure occurrences for the Alfa Romeo 156, grouped by category. Same data as the failures table above — just sliced by category instead of fault title. Hover a slice for the top failures in each category.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common Alfa Romeo 156 problems?
Based on analysis of 340K Alfa Romeo 156 MOT tests from DVSA data, we have 15 identified common problems across 1 generation. The most frequently flagged issue is "Suspension pins, bushes or ball joints worn". Suspension is the most common problem category.
Which Alfa Romeo 156 generation has the most problems?
The Alfa Romeo 156 932 (1997-2007) (1997–2007) has the highest number of identified common problems (21). Click the generation card above for the full breakdown.
How is this data calculated?
We analyse anonymised DVSA MOT test records under the Open Government Licence. An issue is classified as a "Common Problem" when it occurs significantly more often on a specific model than the UK average, confirmed at 99% statistical confidence. Read the full methodology page for details.
Can I report a problem with my Alfa Romeo 156?
Yes — use the "Tell Us About Your Problem" form on this page. Your report helps other Alfa Romeo 156 owners spot problems early. All submissions are reviewed before being added to the public database.
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