Common problems

Ford common problems by model

25 Ford models, each at its most tested age: the part area MOT testers fail most often, against all cars of the same age. From 17,598,711 DVSA MOT tests taken 2022 to 2025. Open a model for every area, the items behind it and what to check on a viewing.

MOT data updated 28 September 2026

Ford models with at least 3 ages of 1,000 or more MOT tests. Fails per 100 MOTs in the most common area.
Model	Age	Tests (n)	Most common fail area	Per 100	All cars
Fiesta	9 years	481,387	Lights and electrics	15.7	9.2
Focus	10 years	297,664	Lights and electrics	14.9	11.2
Transit	8 years	150,998	Lights and electrics	11.4	7.3
Kuga	6 years	150,426	Tyres	4.7	5.6
Mondeo	14 years	67,067	Lights and electrics	19.3	18.3
Ka	12 years	70,957	Suspension	16.9	13.4
Transit Connect	6 years	64,329	Lights and electrics	9.4	4.7
C-Max	10 years	49,589	Lights and electrics	11.1	11.2
Transit Custom	3 years	150,024	Windscreen, wipers and mirrors	8.4	2.8
Ranger	3 years	57,129	Lights and electrics	6.2	2.9
Ecosport	6 years	75,520	Lights and electrics	10.3	4.7
S-Max	13 years	29,983	Lights and electrics	16.9	17.0
Galaxy	13 years	18,456	Lights and electrics	23.8	17.0
Fusion	16 years	32,396	Lights and electrics	24.2	20.4
B-Max	9 years	45,544	Lights and electrics	13.9	9.2
Puma	3 years	90,734	Tyres	2.8	4.8
Grand C-Max	9 years	19,347	Lights and electrics	13.6	9.2
Transit Courier	5 years	16,521	Lights and electrics	13.3	3.7
Tourneo	6 years	9,531	Lights and electrics	9.0	4.7
Tourneo Connect	3 years	8,119	Tyres	5.8	4.8
Mustang	6 years	7,925	Brakes	6.2	3.5
Edge	6 years	8,969	Tyres	4.3	5.6
Tourneo Custom	3 years	10,742	Windscreen, wipers and mirrors	7.5	2.8
Puma (before 2019)	23 years	2,140	Suspension	18.8	14.5
Escort	25 years	1,777	Suspension	16.9	12.8

For how often each model passes or fails its MOT, see Ford MOT fail rates by model.

Other makes

All makes

Read this with care. A fail rate is not a measure of build quality. How far cars are driven, how they are used and how well owners maintain them all change it, and wear items such as tyres and brake pads are common fails. Compare a model only with cars of the same age. Methodology and limits.

The all cars figures cover all class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans) tested at the same age.

Looking at a Ford?

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See a sample report Car tools · MOT fail rates by model · Compare models by MOT record

Source

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025. MOT data updated 28 September 2026.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources