2009 Fiat 500 1.2L Diesel · PJ59 GXT

A recurring pattern of front-end mechanical wear and chronic fluid management issues dominates the recorded MOT history of this seventeen-year-old Fiat 500. The most recent outcome on 16 March 2026 combines a pass with two advisories that have become familiar to this vehicle: an engine oil leak classified as not excessive and pitted front brake discs on both sides. These advisories have appeared with notable consistency, with the oil leak noted as recently as December 2023 and the front brake disc condition carried forward into 2026. Underlying these advisories is a less reassuring history, including a dangerous nearside front shock absorber fluid leak recorded in November 2023 and a further dangerous nearside front tyre tread depth failure on the same date, demonstrating that the vehicle has crossed the threshold from advisory wear into outright safety failures in the recent past. The 2026 entry also contains a failed test on the same day as the pass, with the failure isolated to an insufficient windscreen washer supply, indicating that the vehicle was retested successfully within the same visit once the trivial defect was remedied. The mileage of 122,064 miles accumulated over seventeen years equates to approximately 7,180 miles per year, which sits broadly within typical parameters for a small city-oriented hatchback of this vintage. The testing record runs consecutively from 2021 through 2026 without multi-year absences that would imply extended periods off the road. Mileage progression between tests appears steady rather than displaying sudden spikes that might indicate towing, long-distance commuting changes, or odometer irregularity. Although the annual accumulation is moderate, the cumulative wear on suspension, braking, and engine sealing components remains consistent with a vehicle that has covered well in excess of 100,000 miles, particularly given the chronic advisories in those exact systems. For a prospective buyer, the oil leak advisory on this engine warrants specific physical inspection. The 2023 failure also referenced oil around the engine and a broken dipstick tube, so on inspection it is worth checking for fresh oil residue on the lower block, on the dipstick tube joint, and on the exhaust manifold where oil can be drawn down by heat. Verify the dipstick tube is intact and that the sealing ring at the rocker cover is not weeping, as small Fiat 500 engines are known to seep from the cam cover gasket over time. The oil leak should be monitored between viewings; ask to see the underside of the engine bay and the ground beneath the parked car for fresh drips. If the leak has progressed from advisory to dripping onto the road or onto exhaust components, a smell of burning oil when warm or visible blue smoke on overrun would indicate the seal has deteriorated beyond the advisory threshold. The front brake disc advisory demands a road test with firm pedal applications from approximately 30 mph, listening for any pulsation through the brake pedal or vibration through the steering wheel that would suggest the discs have worn beyond their skim allowance. With pitted and scored discs on both sides, pad life should be confirmed and the discs measured for thickness. The 2023 dangerous shock absorber fluid leak on the nearside front is particularly relevant; press down firmly on each front corner and release, checking that the vehicle rebounds only once and settles without continuing oscillation, and listen for any clonking or hydraulic hiss over uneven surfaces. Both front tyres have historically worn close to the legal limit or below it, so inspect the inner and outer shoulders for uneven wear patterns consistent with worn suspension bushes or weakened dampers. The 2022 dangerous nearside front inner tyre failure in particular suggests the suspension geometry or damper condition was compromised at that point and warrants a thorough check of the wishbone bushes, drop links, and track rod ends for play before committing to purchase.