Used car guide

2016 Fiat Tipo petrol: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the petrol Fiat Tipo first registered in 2016 (petrol cars only): we looked at the 1,853 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

1,853MOTs of 2016 petrol cars, done in 2023–2025
74%pass first time (all 2016 cars: 77%)
7,000typical miles a year
3.8×the usual rate for shock absorbers

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2016 Fiat Tipo petrol?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2016 Fiat Tipo petrol than on all cars registered in 2016.

  • Shock absorbers3.8× usual
    Fiat Tipo
    14% All 2016 cars
    3.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.3%, against 0.8% of all 2016 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £200–£300 (pair, average rear to front) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.

Common 2016 Fiat Tipo petrol MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2016 Fiat Tipo petrol MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    32% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Brakes
    27% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Suspension
    20% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Lights and electrics
    12% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    6% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Seats and seatbelts
    5% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2016 Fiat Tipo petrol

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the shock absorbers? (Flagged at MOT 3.8× as often on the 2016 Fiat Tipo petrol as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Fiat Tipo?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

Every year of the Fiat Tipo compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2024–Too new for MOT data
2023–Too new for MOT data
2022220Tyres 25%
20211,451Tyres 28%
20203,072Tyres 27%
20194,802Tyres 30%
20185,960Tyres 33%
201718,059Tyres 34%
1995–Too few tests
1994–Too few tests
1993–Too few tests
1992–Too few tests
1991–Too few tests
1990–Too few tests
1989–Too few tests

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of Fiat Tipo cars first registered in 2016. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score