Model Reports 4 min read Updated 18 Oct 2026

Fiat Doblo 2008: reliability & common MOT faults

In 2025, 56 in every 100 first MOTs on a 2008 Fiat Doblo were passes. Most common reason for a fail: Headlight aim.

Summary

The 2008 Fiat Doblo follows the pattern of the model years either side.

At a glance

How 1,678 first tests went in 2025.

Passed first time
56 in every 100
Did not pass first time
44 in every 100745 failed first-attempt tests
The typical car
17 yearsabout 94,838 miles
First tests counted
1,678

What failed most often

  1. Headlight aim9 in every 100 failed tests
  2. Suspension mounting area (rear)9 in every 100 failed tests
  3. Tyre condition (front)8 in every 100 failed tests

How we count this. Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Only Class 4 cars on their first MOT of the year are counted. A car that fails and is fixed at the test station still counts as a fail in the first-attempt rate. These are raw results, not adjusted for age, mileage, or peer mix. The MOT does not test engine or gearbox internals.

Note:

These are patterns across 2008 Fiat Doblo vehicles in 2025, not a prediction that any one car will have them. Faults are grouped by part of the car. A wear pattern follows age and use more than the way the car was built. They come from MOT defect codes, not manufacturer bulletins, recalls or a diagnosis of any one car.

Noise, emissions and leaks

Two faults. The strongest is the diesel emissions test (pre-reg turbo rules before 01/07/2008): 5.2 times as often as on similar cars.

Figures below are measured across the 741 of 745 failed first attempts (99.5%) that recorded an odometer reading in 2025. Mileage is needed to compare like with like.

We only list faults with at least 20 failures and a rate of about 2.0 times that of similar cars, which keeps one-off results out of the list.

Diesel emissions test (pre-reg turbo rules before 01/07/2008)

Failed on 33 first tests5.2 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

Diesel engine warning light

Failed on 42 first tests4.0 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

An engine malfunction indicator lamp that is illuminated to show a malfunction is graded Major on a diesel, but only on the diesels the test covers, which depends on the vehicle type and when it was first used. DVSA lists it under exhaust emissions for compression ignition engines, and the detail line for the row also names an inoperative lamp.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage.

Suspension

Two faults. The strongest is the macpherson strut (front): 4.8 times as often as on similar cars.

Macpherson strut (front)

Failed on 21 first tests4.8 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

What it means

Many MacPherson strut top bushes are designed to have significant lateral play when the suspension hangs free, so a top bush is rejected only when the play comes from wear or maladjustment. A top bush or bearing with excessive wear or free play is Major. Rubber or synthetic bushes are rejected only for serious deterioration of the bonding or flexible material.

Suspension mounting area (rear)

Failed on 64 first tests2.4 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

What it means

The load bearing structure within a set distance of a sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting is a prescribed area. Major applies when its strength or continuity is significantly reduced or it is inadequately repaired. Dangerous applies when it is so weakened that control of the vehicle is likely to be adversely affected.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage.

Body and structure

Two faults. The strongest is the vehicle structure condition (rear): 3.7 times as often as on similar cars.

Vehicle structure condition (rear)

Failed on 21 first tests3.7 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

What it means

Structure that is fractured, deformed, corroded, modified or inadequately repaired is failed on rigidity only if the overall structural rigidity of the vehicle is significantly reduced. Structure that is likely to affect steering or braking adversely is graded Dangerous. Prescribed areas are not covered here, as they are checked under other sections, including brakes and steering.

Exhaust system (front)

Failed on 44 first tests2.2 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

What it means

Exhaust fumes causing a danger to health of persons on board are graded Dangerous, and so is a silencer likely to become detached. Fumes entering the cabin are Major. One or more missing or defective mountings does not necessarily make the exhaust insecure, since testers assess the overall security of the system.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage.

Brakes

One fault and one wear pattern. The strongest is the brake discs (front): 2.8 times as often as on similar cars.

Brake discs (front)

Failed on 32 first tests2.8 times as often as similar carsWear pattern

What it means

A brake disc or drum must be significantly worn before it is rejected, and being worn below the manufacturer's recommended limits is not a reason in itself. Significantly and obviously worn is Major, as is contamination with oil or grease. A disc or drum that is fractured, insecure, seriously weakened or missing is graded Dangerous.

Brake imbalance across an axle (roller test, efficiency check, rear)

Failed on 21 first tests2.4 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

What it means

A wheel giving less than a set share of the maximum effort from the other wheel on the same axle is Major. On a steered axle, less than half is graded Dangerous. Testers disregard an imbalance if the lower effort is the result of a locked wheel, or if the higher effort from a wheel is at or below a low set figure.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage.

Visibility

One fault: windscreen wipers (front), 2.4 times as often as on similar cars.

Windscreen wipers (front)

Failed on 58 first tests2.4 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

What it means

Only a clearly damaged or worn windscreen wiper needs to be rejected. A wiper that is missing or not working is graded Major, and so is a blade that is missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen. A defective blade is graded Minor.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage.

Lamps and electrical

One fault: individual direction indicators (rear), 2.3 times as often as on similar cars.

Individual direction indicators (rear)

Failed on 35 first tests2.3 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

What it means

Direction indicators must be amber, though vehicles first used before a set date may have white at the front and red at the rear when the indicators are combined with stop or position lamps, and sequential or dynamic ones are not a reason to fail. A lamp that is missing, inoperative or has more than half of a multiple light source not functioning is graded Major. A flashing rate outside the permitted range is graded Minor.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage.

Advisories

Other things testers noted as worn or close to failing, more often than on similar cars.

An advisory is a note from the tester about something that has not failed yet. It is an early warning, not a fail.

Exhaust system (front)

Noted on 45 first tests3.5 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

Shock absorbers (rear)

Noted on 58 first tests2.2 times as often as similar carsElevated evidence

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Counts cover advisories recorded on failed first tests only, compared with cars of the same age and mileage.

MOT pass rates

How first tests ended, and how the pass rates are counted.

Passed first time
56in every 100
Passed on the first test.
Fixed at the station
6in every 100
Failed, then fixed at the test station the same day.
Failed
38in every 100
Did not pass, and were not fixed at the test station.

First-attempt pass 55.6% of 1,678 first tests (2025): only cars that passed first time count. Official-style pass 62.2%: cars fixed at the test station also count as a pass. The 6 fixed and the 38 not fixed make the 44 in every 100 that did not pass first time.

Petrol and diesel

First testsPassed first time, as tested
Diesel1,12154
Petrol55760

Figures are in every 100 first tests.

Same model, other years

Passed first time in every 100, all tested in 2025.

4060801002005200820152020Older carsNewer cars
40608010020082020Newer cars

Newer cars are younger, so look for a jump rather than the climb.

YearPassed first timeFirst tests
200350 in every 100305
200447 in every 100590
200549 in every 100832
200651 in every 1001,312
200752 in every 1001,803
2008 This car56 in every 1001,678
200960 in every 1001,375
201057 in every 1001,562
201154 in every 1001,661
201257 in every 1001,820
201371 in every 1005,795
201459 in every 1005,136
201562 in every 1004,378
201663 in every 1003,195
201765 in every 1002,323
201870 in every 1001,871
201970 in every 1001,602
202069 in every 1001,153
202174 in every 1001,810
202276 in every 100666

FAQs

Short answers about how to read this model-year guide.

The 2008 Fiat Doblo follows the pattern of the model years either side. Its main cause of failure was Headlight aim, about 9 in every 100 failed tests. In 2025, 55.6% of 1,678 first MOTs on the 2008 Fiat Doblo passed first time (PRS: items fixed at the station the same day, counted as a fail). The official-style rate including PRS is 62.2%. Among 745 failed first-attempt MOT tests (test year 2025), Macpherson strut (front) appears more often than on similar cars (2.8% of those tests; 21 observed failures; about 4.8× more often than similar cars). There is no single reliability score here; this is a pre-purchase checklist built from DVSA open data, not a guarantee for any individual car.
Ranked by how often they were actually recorded, the items that most often failed a 2008 Fiat Doblo at the first attempt were Headlight aim (9.0%), Suspension mounting area (rear) (8.6%) and Tyre condition (front) (8.4%), each as a share of the year's failed first attempts. That is what goes wrong most often on the car. The common faults table shows a different measure: faults that are unusual compared with similar cars.
Among failed first-attempt tests we highlight patterns that appear more often than on similar cars. Top example: Macpherson strut (front) (2.8% of those tests; 21 observed failures; about 4.8× more often than similar cars). These are statistical signals, not a diagnosis of any individual car.
Macpherson strut (front) shows up more often than on similar cars (2.8% of those tests; 21 observed failures; about 4.8× more often than similar cars). That does not prove a design fault. Age, mileage, and how the car was used still matter. Treat it as a pre-purchase checkpoint, not a manufacturer service bulletin.
Common MOT problem areas for the 2008 Fiat Doblo include Macpherson strut (front), Diesel engine warning light, Vehicle structure condition (rear). These are the faults that stand out compared with similar cars, not a complete list of what can go wrong on any individual car.
Advisories flag issues noted at the test and are not a fail rate. We show advisory patterns that appear more often than on similar cars among failed first-attempt tests, separate from common failure rows. Use them as early-warning checks, not as a pass/fail score.
This page highlights MOT failure patterns for the 2008 Fiat Doblo (registration year) using UK DVSA open data for the selected test year. Patterns are compared with cars of a similar age and mileage. It is a buyer checklist from MOT defect statistics, not a full service history or manufacturer service-bulletin list.
No. MOT tests do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronic modules. Patterns here come from MOT defect statistics only and should not be read as engine or gearbox reliability scores.

About this data

How this page is built and what it can (and can't) say.

These figures come from UK MOT open data for this model year. We surface common failure patterns against similar cars, not a full reliability score, and not a pass/fail verdict on any individual vehicle.

2024 2025

What we include

UK Class 4 cars only. Normal MOT tests (not retests); first test per vehicle per calendar year; results pass, PRS, or fail.

Same-day repairs

PRS means the car failed items that were fixed at the test station and then passed the same day. We count PRS as a first-attempt fail in headline rates so same-day repairs do not hide problems.

How we compare

We compare this model year with other Class 4 cars of similar age and mileage in the same test year. This model family is left out of the peer group so the car is not measured against itself.

What this does not cover

  • MOTs do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronics; this is not a full reliability score.
  • Common faults come from MOT defect stats, not manufacturer TSBs or recalls.
  • Age and mileage matching reduces, but does not remove, differences in how cars were used and maintained.
  • If the data for a car is too thin to say anything useful, we say so rather than guess.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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