2021 Fiat 500E LA Prima Electricity · GL71 BWD

A clear front suspension component failure in early 2025 is the defining mechanical event in this Fiat 500e's MOT history, and any prospective buyer should treat it as the central clue to the car's structural condition. The nearside and offside front lower suspension arm rear bushes were both recorded as excessively worn, with the rubber pulled out of its housing on both sides, resulting in a Major failure under the suspension arm pin or bush category. Importantly, the subsequent tests in January 2026 and June 2026 both passed with no advisories recorded, suggesting the arms or bushes were replaced and the repair has held. That is encouraging on the surface, but the dual failure across both sides is unusual for a five year old electric vehicle of this mileage and points to either a known batch issue with the component or underlying corrosion in the housing that may recur. A buyer should establish precisely what was fitted, whether aftermarket or OEM, and whether any adjacent components were disturbed during the work. Against the average accumulation of roughly 3,488 miles per year, this 500e has been driven considerably less than a typical urban EV, which is consistent with its city focused La Prima role but carries its own mechanical implications. The annual mileage is low enough that brake discs and pads, particularly at the rear where regen braking handles most deceleration on an EV, are likely to show surface corrosion rather than friction wear, and calliper slide pins and electric parking brake mechanisms may have stiffened from infrequent use. Tyres of the correct specification will almost certainly still have life left, but should still be inspected for uneven shoulder wear from kerbing, which is common on a car of this size and use profile. The single MOT in 2024 and the pattern of testing from January 2025 onwards suggest the car has been kept on the road consistently, with no multi-year gaps that would raise concerns about a flat 12V auxiliary battery or seized brake components from prolonged standing. On a physical inspection, attention should focus squarely on the front suspension, since both lower arm rear bushes failed simultaneously. With the car on a ramp, examine the front lower control arms closely for any fresh paint, weld marks, or evidence of pattern replacement rather than genuine Fiat parts, and check the rear bush housing on both sides for any hairline cracking in the surrounding arm casting which could indicate the metal was compromised when the rubber was extracted. On the road, listen for any clonking or knocking over speed humps and uneven surfaces, particularly from cold, which would suggest the new bushes have already started to degrade or that the installation was not torqued correctly. Pay particular attention to steering precision, as wandering or a vague front end through a slalom test could point to weakened bush stiffness returning. Beyond the suspension, the test drive should include a firm brake application from around 30 mph to check for any judder or vibration through the pedal, which would indicate the brake discs have developed lipping or thickness variation from corrosion, and a low speed manoeuvre to confirm the electronic parking brake releases and applies cleanly on a slope. Listen for any grinding or whining from the drivetrain under gentle acceleration, and verify that the high voltage system engages without warning lights on the dash, as electrical faults do not form part of the MOT but are the most consequential failure mode on any modern EV. Finally, request a diagnostic scan of the high voltage battery state of health, as the low recorded mileage does not guarantee cell balance has been maintained, and check that all the driver assistance systems including the rear view camera and parking sensors, which are standard on the La Prima trim, function as expected.