The picture
500c: middle-of-the-pack on first-time pass
Across 21,623 MOT tests, the 500c returns 74.3% first-time pass — below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is worn suspension bushes. Shock absorber damaged to the extent and a worn shock-absorber bush round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 51,775, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
Top ten reasons for rejection.
- 01
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
1,034 occurrences · 4.8% of tests
- 02
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
952 occurrences · 4.4% of tests
- 03
A shock absorber bush excessively worn
790 occurrences · 3.7% of tests
- 04
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
483 occurrences · 2.2% of tests
- 05
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
390 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
- 06
A tyre cords visible or damaged
373 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
- 07
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
360 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
- 08
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
340 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
- 09
Stop lamp with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning
274 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
- 10
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
266 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£220–£575
If every one of this 500c's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Buying or keeping a 500c?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a 500c and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.