At a Glance
The Fiat Seicento has 36 identified common problems across 1 generation, with the Seicento (1998-2010) being the most affected generation and brakes the most common problem category. Based on 376K 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 Fiat Seicento 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
Fiat Seicento 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 Fiat Seicento Generations
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Most Common Fiat Seicento MOT Failures
Every reason Fiat Seicento 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 | 14.03% |
| 2 | Number plate lamp not working | 9.81% |
| 3 | Brake hydraulic component worn | 7.23% |
| 4 | Driveshaft fault | 6.05% |
| 5 | Wiper blades deteriorated | 5.88% |
| 6 | Shock absorber worn or leaking | 5.77% |
| 7 | Stop lamp not working | 3.85% |
| 8 | Exhaust system fault | 3.71% |
| 9 | Tyre condition | 3.59% |
| 10 | Front lamp not working | 3.54% |
| 11 | Brake pads or linings worn | 3.07% |
| 12 | Windscreen washer not working | 2.92% |
| 13 | Catalytic converter efficiency low | 2.79% |
| 14 | Brake disc or drum worn | 2.22% |
| 15 | Coil spring broken or corroded | 1.85% |
| 16 | Suspension mounting corroded | 1.64% |
| 17 | Rear lamp not working | 1.35% |
| 18 | Parking brake performance below minimum | 1.29% |
| 19 | Seat belt condition | 1.23% |
| 20 | Rigid brake pipe corroded or damaged | 1.18% |
| 21 | Suspension joint or bush worn | 1.05% |
| 22 | Body corrosion or damage | 0.97% |
| 23 | Position lamp not working | 0.92% |
| 24 | Spark ignition emissions above threshold | 0.89% |
| 25 | Windscreen damage affecting view | 0.86% |
| 26 | Track rod end worn | 0.78% |
| 27 | Fog lamp not working | 0.73% |
| 28 | Steering rack fault | 0.73% |
| 29 | Front suspension joint worn | 0.69% |
| 30 | Brake performance below minimum | 0.65% |
| 31 | Rear suspension fault | 0.63% |
| 32 | Headlamp aim defect | 0.56% |
| 33 | Mirror damaged or missing | 0.55% |
| 34 | Chassis condition | 0.53% |
| 35 | Headlamp fault | 0.49% |
| 36 | Brake fluid leak | 0.38% |
| 37 | Subframe mounting corroded | 0.38% |
| 38 | Ball joint dust cover split | 0.32% |
| 39 | Battery loose or leaking | 0.32% |
| 40 | Airbag warning light on | 0.31% |
| 41 | MacPherson strut worn | 0.30% |
| 42 | Front suspension fault | 0.25% |
| 43 | Wheel bearing worn | 0.21% |
| 44 | Flexible brake hose damaged | 0.21% |
| 45 | Tyre valve stem damaged | 0.17% |
| 46 | Vehicle structure corrosion | 0.17% |
| 47 | Electrical switch fault | 0.15% |
| 48 | Brake pedal fault | 0.13% |
| 49 | Subframe corrosion or damage | 0.13% |
| 50 | Bonnet catch or hinge fault | 0.12% |
| 51 | Headlamp levelling device fault | 0.12% |
| 52 | Spring mounting corroded | 0.10% |
| 53 | Brake cable, rod, lever or linkage fault | 0.09% |
| 54 | Fuel pipe corroded or damaged | 0.09% |
| 55 | Body security fault | 0.09% |
| 56 | Engine oil leak | 0.09% |
| 57 | Suspension arm worn or corroded | 0.09% |
| 58 | ABS fault | 0.08% |
| 59 | Rear reflector damaged or missing | 0.08% |
| 60 | Dashboard warning lamp fault | 0.08% |
| 61 | Electrical wiring fault | 0.08% |
| 62 | Fuel hose damaged or leaking | 0.08% |
| 63 | Handbrake lever fault | 0.07% |
| 64 | Brake air or vacuum system fault | 0.07% |
| 65 | Steering operation fault | 0.06% |
| 66 | Indicator fault | 0.06% |
| 67 | CV joint worn | 0.05% |
| 68 | Steering lock fault | 0.05% |
| 69 | Steering free play excessive | 0.05% |
| 70 | Driver seat fault | 0.05% |
| 71 | Rear fog lamp not working | 0.05% |
| 72 | Fuel cap damaged or missing | 0.04% |
| 73 | Brake fluid level low or contaminated | 0.04% |
| 74 | Brake caliper fault | 0.04% |
| 75 | Brake wheel cylinder fault | 0.04% |
| 76 | Suspension unit fault | 0.04% |
| 77 | Brake fluid warning light on | 0.03% |
| 78 | Propshaft fault | 0.03% |
| 79 | Engine mounting worn or broken | 0.03% |
| 80 | Steering wheel damaged or insecure | 0.03% |
| 81 | Steering column fault | 0.03% |
| 82 | Brake linkage mounting fault | 0.03% |
| 83 | Driver airbag fault | 0.03% |
| 84 | Fuel tank corroded or leaking | 0.03% |
| 85 | Exhaust emissions above threshold (non-catalyst) | 0.03% |
| 86 | Tailgate damaged or insecure | 0.02% |
| 87 | Bumper damaged or insecure | 0.02% |
| 88 | Compression ignition emissions above threshold | 0.02% |
| 89 | Steering coupling worn | 0.02% |
| 90 | Boot lid damaged or insecure | 0.02% |
| 91 | Suspension retaining or locking device fault | 0.02% |
| 92 | Suspension linkage fault | 0.02% |
| 93 | Anti-roll bar worn or corroded | 0.02% |
| 94 | Steering arm worn | 0.02% |
| 95 | Brake stationary pin worn | 0.01% |
| 96 | Passenger seat fault | 0.01% |
| 97 | Bonded suspension condition | 0.01% |
| 98 | Parking brake condition | 0.01% |
| 99 | Front passenger door fault | 0.01% |
| 100 | Hydraulic brake cylinder fault | 0.01% |
| 101 | Drag link end worn | 0.01% |
| 102 | Driver door fault | 0.01% |
| 103 | Suspension linkage attachment bracket or mounting corroded | 0.01% |
| 104 | Additional braking device fault | <0.01% |
| 105 | Exhaust leak | <0.01% |
| 106 | Vehicle floor corroded | <0.01% |
| 107 | Towbar fault | <0.01% |
| 108 | Speedometer fault | <0.01% |
| 109 | Electric power steering fault | <0.01% |
| 110 | Steering drive system fault | <0.01% |
| 111 | Radius arm worn or corroded | <0.01% |
| 112 | Transmission oil leak | <0.01% |
| 113 | Trailing arm worn or corroded | <0.01% |
| 114 | Steering shaft fault | <0.01% |
| 115 | Horn not working | <0.01% |
| 116 | Power steering pump fault | <0.01% |
| 117 | Semaphore indicator fault | <0.01% |
| 118 | Axle beam corroded or cracked | <0.01% |
| 119 | Axle corroded or damaged | <0.01% |
| 120 | Brake fluid reservoir fault | <0.01% |
| 121 | Brake pedal linkage fault | <0.01% |
| 122 | Brake pedal movement restricted | <0.01% |
| 123 | Hydraulic fluid leak | <0.01% |
| 124 | Mirror or camera fault | <0.01% |
| 125 | Access panel damaged or insecure | <0.01% |
| 126 | Body strengthening plate corroded | <0.01% |
| 127 | Brake master cylinder or servo mounting fault | <0.01% |
| 128 | Front fog lamp not working | <0.01% |
| 129 | Main beam warning light fault | <0.01% |
| 130 | Tyre size or type not matched | <0.01% |
| 131 | Window damaged or won't operate | <0.01% |
| 132 | Brake lever fault | <0.01% |
| 133 | Brake master cylinder fault | <0.01% |
| 134 | Brake pressure or vacuum buildup insufficient | <0.01% |
| 135 | Brake slack adjuster fault | <0.01% |
| 136 | Brake valve fault | <0.01% |
| 137 | Dip switch fault | <0.01% |
| 138 | Handbrake cable fault | <0.01% |
| 139 | Indicator warning light fault | <0.01% |
| 140 | King pin or swivel pin worn | <0.01% |
| 141 | Brake back plate corroded or damaged | <0.01% |
| 142 | Exhaust heat shield or sound insulation damaged | <0.01% |
| 143 | Hand-operated brake valve condition | <0.01% |
| 144 | Outline marker lamp not working | <0.01% |
| 145 | Power steering pipe or hose leaking | <0.01% |
| 146 | Rear fog lamp warning light fault | <0.01% |
| 147 | Torque or reaction arm worn | <0.01% |
| 148 | Undertray damaged or missing | <0.01% |
| 149 | Universal joint worn | <0.01% |
| 150 | Brake clevis joint worn | <0.01% |
| 151 | Dropside damaged or insecure | <0.01% |
| 152 | Full power hydraulic brake fault | <0.01% |
| 153 | Handbrake fails on gradient | <0.01% |
| 154 | Hazard warning light fault | <0.01% |
| 155 | Hinged tailboard damaged or insecure | <0.01% |
| 156 | Panhard rod worn or corroded | <0.01% |
| 157 | Passenger compartment corrosion | <0.01% |
| 158 | Power steering ram fault | <0.01% |
| 159 | Seat belt or padding damaged | <0.01% |
| 160 | Steering box fault | <0.01% |
| 161 | Steering lock stop fault | <0.01% |
| 162 | Suspension coupling worn | <0.01% |
| 163 | Tie bar or rod worn or corroded | <0.01% |
| 164 | Torsion bar worn or corroded | <0.01% |
| 165 | Wheel hub fault | <0.01% |
Showing all 165 reasons — scroll inside the table for the full list.
Fiat Seicento MOT Failures by Category
Total MOT failure occurrences for the Fiat Seicento, 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 Fiat Seicento problems?
Based on analysis of 376K Fiat Seicento MOT tests from DVSA data, we have 36 identified common problems across 1 generation. The most frequently flagged issue is "Brake performance below minimum". Brakes is the most common problem category.
Which Fiat Seicento generation has the most problems?
The Fiat Seicento Seicento (1998-2010) (1998–2010) has the highest number of identified common problems (53). 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 Fiat Seicento?
Yes — use the "Tell Us About Your Problem" form on this page. Your report helps other Fiat Seicento owners spot problems early. All submissions are reviewed before being added to the public database.
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