At a Glance
The Alfa Romeo Spider has 16 identified common problems across 4 generations, with the 916 (1995-2006) being the most affected generation and brakes the most common problem category. Based on 97K 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 Spider 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 Spider 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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Browse Alfa Romeo Spider Generations
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Most Common Alfa Romeo Spider MOT Failures
Every reason Alfa Romeo Spider 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 | Suspension joint or bush worn | 8.69% |
| 2 | Brake performance below minimum | 7.29% |
| 3 | Wiper blades deteriorated | 6.79% |
| 4 | Tyre tread depth below limit | 6.60% |
| 5 | Exhaust system fault | 5.89% |
| 6 | Tyre condition | 5.53% |
| 7 | Number plate lamp not working | 5.16% |
| 8 | Stop lamp not working | 3.63% |
| 9 | Brake disc or drum worn | 3.41% |
| 10 | Windscreen washer not working | 3.22% |
| 11 | Headlamp aim defect | 2.92% |
| 12 | Front lamp not working | 2.74% |
| 13 | Driveshaft fault | 2.34% |
| 14 | Coil spring broken or corroded | 2.12% |
| 15 | Suspension mounting corroded | 1.92% |
| 16 | Brake hydraulic component worn | 1.58% |
| 17 | Indicator fault | 1.57% |
| 18 | Shock absorber worn or leaking | 1.55% |
| 19 | Brake pads or linings worn | 1.50% |
| 20 | Position lamp not working | 1.25% |
| 21 | Parking brake performance below minimum | 1.23% |
| 22 | Track rod end worn | 1.10% |
| 23 | Rear suspension fault | 1.06% |
| 24 | Front suspension joint worn | 1.06% |
| 25 | Fog lamp not working | 1.03% |
| 26 | Chassis condition | 0.98% |
| 27 | Spark ignition emissions above threshold | 0.93% |
| 28 | Horn not working | 0.90% |
| 29 | Rear lamp not working | 0.87% |
| 30 | Parking brake condition | 0.86% |
| 31 | Headlamp fault | 0.83% |
| 32 | Body corrosion or damage | 0.77% |
| 33 | Ball joint dust cover split | 0.77% |
| 34 | Catalytic converter efficiency low | 0.72% |
| 35 | Rigid brake pipe corroded or damaged | 0.57% |
| 36 | Steering rack fault | 0.50% |
| 37 | Windscreen damage affecting view | 0.48% |
| 38 | Mirror damaged or missing | 0.36% |
| 39 | Wheel bearing worn | 0.36% |
| 40 | Battery loose or leaking | 0.33% |
| 41 | Rear fog lamp not working | 0.33% |
| 42 | Exhaust emissions above threshold (non-catalyst) | 0.33% |
| 43 | Front suspension fault | 0.31% |
| 44 | Electrical switch fault | 0.29% |
| 45 | Brake pedal movement restricted | 0.28% |
| 46 | Airbag warning light on | 0.28% |
| 47 | Seat belt condition | 0.28% |
| 48 | Brake fluid leak | 0.27% |
| 49 | Vehicle structure corrosion | 0.27% |
| 50 | Suspension arm worn or corroded | 0.25% |
| 51 | Spring mounting corroded | 0.23% |
| 52 | ABS fault | 0.23% |
| 53 | Drag link end worn | 0.23% |
| 54 | Brake caliper fault | 0.20% |
| 55 | Flexible brake hose damaged | 0.20% |
| 56 | Dashboard warning lamp fault | 0.19% |
| 57 | Compression ignition emissions above threshold | 0.19% |
| 58 | Brake pedal fault | 0.19% |
| 59 | Steering box fault | 0.18% |
| 60 | Subframe mounting corroded | 0.17% |
| 61 | Subframe corrosion or damage | 0.16% |
| 62 | Tyre size or type not matched | 0.15% |
| 63 | Suspension linkage fault | 0.15% |
| 64 | Fuel cap damaged or missing | 0.15% |
| 65 | Brake lever fault | 0.15% |
| 66 | Electrical wiring fault | 0.13% |
| 67 | Steering operation fault | 0.12% |
| 68 | Steering lock fault | 0.11% |
| 69 | Bonnet catch or hinge fault | 0.10% |
| 70 | Steering arm worn | 0.09% |
| 71 | Steering free play excessive | 0.09% |
| 72 | Handbrake cable fault | 0.09% |
| 73 | Power steering pipe or hose leaking | 0.09% |
| 74 | Fuel pipe corroded or damaged | 0.08% |
| 75 | Tyre valve stem damaged | 0.08% |
| 76 | Steering column fault | 0.08% |
| 77 | Engine oil leak | 0.07% |
| 78 | Headlamp levelling device fault | 0.07% |
| 79 | Fuel hose damaged or leaking | 0.07% |
| 80 | Vehicle floor corroded | 0.07% |
| 81 | Driver door fault | 0.06% |
| 82 | Fuel tank corroded or leaking | 0.06% |
| 83 | Brake fluid level low or contaminated | 0.06% |
| 84 | Driver seat fault | 0.06% |
| 85 | Propshaft fault | 0.06% |
| 86 | Bonded suspension condition | 0.06% |
| 87 | Brake cable, rod, lever or linkage fault | 0.05% |
| 88 | Handbrake lever fault | 0.05% |
| 89 | Brake fluid warning light on | 0.05% |
| 90 | Speedometer fault | 0.05% |
| 91 | Front passenger door fault | 0.05% |
| 92 | Steering wheel damaged or insecure | 0.04% |
| 93 | Brake air or vacuum system fault | 0.04% |
| 94 | Brake linkage mounting fault | 0.04% |
| 95 | Body security fault | 0.03% |
| 96 | Electronic stability control fault | 0.03% |
| 97 | Steering intermediate drop arm worn | 0.03% |
| 98 | Rear reflector damaged or missing | 0.03% |
| 99 | Anti-roll bar worn or corroded | 0.03% |
| 100 | Boot lid damaged or insecure | 0.03% |
| 101 | Driver airbag fault | 0.03% |
| 102 | Brake master cylinder fault | 0.03% |
| 103 | Rear fog lamp warning light fault | 0.02% |
| 104 | Steering lock stop fault | 0.02% |
| 105 | Suspension retaining or locking device fault | 0.02% |
| 106 | Suspension unit fault | 0.02% |
| 107 | Indicator warning light fault | 0.02% |
| 108 | Brake valve fault | 0.02% |
| 109 | Trailing arm worn or corroded | 0.02% |
| 110 | Exhaust leak | 0.02% |
| 111 | Undertray damaged or missing | 0.02% |
| 112 | Brake servo fault | 0.02% |
| 113 | Brake master cylinder or servo mounting fault | 0.02% |
| 114 | Engine mounting worn or broken | 0.02% |
| 115 | Main beam warning light fault | 0.02% |
| 116 | Spare wheel fault | 0.02% |
| 117 | Brake fluid reservoir fault | 0.01% |
| 118 | Bumper damaged or insecure | 0.01% |
| 119 | Hydraulic fluid leak | 0.01% |
| 120 | Power steering ram fault | 0.01% |
| 121 | King pin or swivel pin worn | 0.01% |
| 122 | CV joint worn | 0.01% |
| 123 | Passenger seat fault | 0.01% |
| 124 | Tie bar or rod worn or corroded | 0.01% |
| 125 | MacPherson strut worn | 0.01% |
| 126 | Body strengthening plate corroded | 0.01% |
| 127 | Hydraulic brake cylinder fault | 0.01% |
| 128 | Transmission oil leak | 0.01% |
| 129 | Additional braking device fault | <0.01% |
| 130 | Load sensing valve fault | <0.01% |
| 131 | Brake clevis joint worn | <0.01% |
| 132 | Passenger airbag fault | <0.01% |
| 133 | Steering shaft fault | <0.01% |
| 134 | Brake pressure or vacuum buildup insufficient | <0.01% |
| 135 | Dip switch fault | <0.01% |
| 136 | Handbrake mechanism or mounting fault | <0.01% |
| 137 | Mirror or camera fault | <0.01% |
| 138 | Steering drive system fault | <0.01% |
| 139 | Brake relay lever fault | <0.01% |
| 140 | Power steering pump fault | <0.01% |
| 141 | Steering coupling worn | <0.01% |
| 142 | Axle beam corroded or cracked | <0.01% |
| 143 | Electric power steering fault | <0.01% |
| 144 | Exhaust heat shield or sound insulation damaged | <0.01% |
| 145 | Radius arm worn or corroded | <0.01% |
| 146 | Steering damper fault | <0.01% |
| 147 | Access panel damaged or insecure | <0.01% |
| 148 | Brake back plate corroded or damaged | <0.01% |
| 149 | Brake pedal linkage fault | <0.01% |
| 150 | Reversing lamp not working | <0.01% |
| 151 | Seat belt anchorage fault | <0.01% |
| 152 | Seat belt or padding damaged | <0.01% |
| 153 | Semaphore indicator fault | <0.01% |
| 154 | Stub axle worn | <0.01% |
| 155 | Suspension linkage attachment bracket or mounting corroded | <0.01% |
| 156 | Suspension rod worn or corroded | <0.01% |
| 157 | Tailgate damaged or insecure | <0.01% |
| 158 | Window damaged or won't operate | <0.01% |
| 159 | Axle corroded or damaged | <0.01% |
| 160 | Full power hydraulic brake fault | <0.01% |
| 161 | Hand-operated brake valve condition | <0.01% |
| 162 | Headlamp washer not working | <0.01% |
| 163 | Outline marker lamp not working | <0.01% |
| 164 | Panhard rod worn or corroded | <0.01% |
| 165 | Towbar fault | <0.01% |
Showing all 165 reasons — scroll inside the table for the full list.
Alfa Romeo Spider MOT Failures by Category
Total MOT failure occurrences for the Alfa Romeo Spider, 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 Spider problems?
Based on analysis of 97K Alfa Romeo Spider MOT tests from DVSA data, we have 16 identified common problems across 4 generations. The most frequently flagged issue is "Catalytic converter efficiency low". Brakes is the most common problem category.
Which Alfa Romeo Spider generation has the most problems?
The Alfa Romeo Spider 916 (1995-2006) (1995–2006) has the highest number of identified common problems (26). 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 Spider?
Yes — use the "Tell Us About Your Problem" form on this page. Your report helps other Alfa Romeo Spider owners spot problems early. All submissions are reviewed before being added to the public database.
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