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Ford Fiesta MOT Check

MOT pass rates, common failures, and reliability data for the Ford Fiesta. Check any Fiesta by registration number below.

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75.2%

Avg Pass Rate

-10.0%

vs Ford Avg

44

Year Ranges

Good

Reliability

Ford Fiesta — MOT Reliability Overview

The Ford Fiesta has an average MOT pass rate of 75.2%, which is 10.0 percentage points below the Ford brand average of 85.1%. This is a reasonable result that reflects typical UK reliability standards. Regular servicing and addressing advisories promptly will help keep your Fiesta on the road.

The most common reasons a Ford Fiesta fails its MOT are the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, a direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc. If you are preparing your Fiesta for its MOT, checking these areas first could save you a retest fee. Our detailed fault analysis includes estimated repair costs for each failure type.

Typical mileage for the Fiesta is around 38,000 miles at 5 years. When evaluating a used Fiesta, compare the odometer reading against these benchmarks. Significantly lower mileage than expected could indicate a clocked vehicle — run a free mileage check to verify.

Before buying a used Ford Fiesta, we recommend checking the full MOT history, write-off status, outstanding finance, and stolen vehicle status. These checks can be done for free using the registration number.

MOT Pass Rate by Year

How the Ford Fiesta performs at MOT across different model years.

2022

Based on 371 vehicles

94.3%Excellent
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

2.1%

Retest Rate

6.3%

Mileage at 3yr

33k mi

2021

Based on 6,177 vehicles

93.7%Excellent
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

2.1%

Retest Rate

6.5%

Mileage at 3yr

34k mi

2020

Based on 52,295 vehicles

90.2%Excellent
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

2.8%

Retest Rate

9.3%

Mileage at 3yr

35k mi

Mileage at 5yr

53k mi

2019

Based on 187,142 vehicles

90.5%Excellent
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

3.7%

Retest Rate

10.4%

Mileage at 3yr

37k mi

Mileage at 5yr

54k mi

2018

Based on 233,915 vehicles

89.1%Excellent
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

4.0%

Retest Rate

12.0%

Mileage at 5yr

55k mi

2017

Based on 221,843 vehicles

83.5%Good
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

4.5%

Retest Rate

17.9%

Mileage at 5yr

59k mi

2016

Based on 281,076 vehicles

77.3%Good
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

5.1%

Retest Rate

23.7%

2015

Based on 308,222 vehicles

76.9%Good
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

5.3%

Retest Rate

24.4%

Mileage at 10yr

112k mi

2014

Based on 300,937 vehicles

74.8%Average
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

5.7%

Retest Rate

26.6%

Mileage at 10yr

110k mi

2013

Based on 276,267 vehicles

71.0%Average
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

6.3%

Retest Rate

30.3%

Mileage at 10yr

112k mi

2012

Based on 239,665 vehicles

67.8%Average
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

7.4%

Retest Rate

32.8%

Mileage at 10yr

120k mi

2011

Based on 207,953 vehicles

66.9%Average
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

8.0%

Retest Rate

33.2%

2010

Based on 212,709 vehicles

65.0%Average
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

8.3%

Retest Rate

34.3%

2009

Based on 229,466 vehicles

63.8%Below Average
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

8.4%

Retest Rate

34.8%

2008

Based on 144,470 vehicles

64.0%Below Average
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

7.2%

Retest Rate

32.6%

2007

Based on 134,091 vehicles

64.9%Below Average
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

6.8%

Retest Rate

31.4%

2006

Based on 110,361 vehicles

62.4%Below Average
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

6.9%

Retest Rate

31.6%

2005

Based on 66,161 vehicles

62.1%Below Average
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

6.9%

Retest Rate

31.8%

2004

Based on 54,298 vehicles

63.0%Below Average
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

6.9%

Retest Rate

31.5%

2003

Based on 41,771 vehicles

64.0%Below Average
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

6.4%

Retest Rate

30.1%

2002–2023

Based on 185,000 vehicles

0.8%Poor
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

0.0%

Retest Rate

0.1%

Mileage at 3yr

22k mi

Mileage at 5yr

38k mi

Mileage at 10yr

72k mi

2001

Based on 7,273 vehicles

59.7%Below Average
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

6.3%

Retest Rate

27.3%

2000

Based on 4,120 vehicles

59.3%Below Average
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

7.4%

Retest Rate

27.6%

1999

Based on 5,633 vehicles

57.6%Below Average
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

4.7%

Retest Rate

32.9%

1998

Based on 4,819 vehicles

55.3%Below Average
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

3.4%

Retest Rate

33.3%

1997

Based on 21,322 vehicles

84.5%Good
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

3.5%

Retest Rate

32.6%

1996

Based on 18,561 vehicles

85.0%Excellent
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

2.9%

Retest Rate

25.0%

1995

Based on 7,138 vehicles

85.6%Excellent
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

3.7%

Retest Rate

17.2%

1994

Based on 3,961 vehicles

85.7%Excellent
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

1.9%

Retest Rate

19.1%

1993

Based on 576 vehicles

64.9%Below Average
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

3.3%

Retest Rate

31.7%

1992

Based on 621 vehicles

73.9%Average
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

2.2%

Retest Rate

21.1%

1991

Based on 1,071 vehicles

83.1%Good
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

1.7%

Retest Rate

12.5%

1990

Based on 595 vehicles

83.5%Good
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

2.6%

Retest Rate

13.2%

1989

Based on 913 vehicles

82.8%Good
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

1.4%

Retest Rate

13.9%

1988

Based on 1,372 vehicles

82.9%Good
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

2.1%

Retest Rate

10.6%

1987

Based on 735 vehicles

79.5%Good
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

2.6%

Retest Rate

15.6%

1986

Based on 429 vehicles

83.4%Good
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

0.9%

Retest Rate

15.7%

1985

Based on 298 vehicles

85.2%Excellent
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

1.0%

Retest Rate

7.6%

1984

Based on 261 vehicles

88.9%Excellent
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

0.0%

Retest Rate

10.8%

1983

Based on 461 vehicles

89.6%Excellent
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

2.3%

Retest Rate

6.1%

1982

Based on 248 vehicles

88.7%Excellent
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

1.3%

Retest Rate

12.1%

1981

Based on 129 vehicles

96.1%Excellent
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

0.0%

Retest Rate

2.5%

1980

Based on 41 vehicles

87.8%Excellent
Ford average: 85.1%

0

Based on 1,761,562 vehicles

78.2%Good
Ford average: 85.1%
Mileage at 5yr

69k mi

Top MOT Failures — Ford Fiesta

The most common reasons a Ford Fiesta fails its MOT, aggregated across all year ranges.

1

The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired

5.9%
2

A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning

4.4%
3

A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc

4.4%
4

Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded

4.0%
5

Service brake efficiency below minimum requirement

3.9%

Where Failures Occur

The areas of the vehicle most commonly flagged during MOT inspections.

Front Nearside

2.2%

Front

2.2%

Nearside

2.2%

Typical Mileage — Ford Fiesta

Average mileage readings recorded at MOT tests for the 2002–2023 model year range. Use these benchmarks to evaluate a used Fiesta.

At 3 Years

22,000

miles

At 5 Years

38,000

miles

At 10 Years

72,000

miles

Ford Fiesta — Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about the Ford Fiesta MOT and reliability.

What is the MOT pass rate for the Ford Fiesta?
The average MOT pass rate for the Ford Fiesta is 75.2% compared to the Ford average of 85.1%. Pass rates vary by year — check the year-by-year breakdown on this page for details.
What are the most common MOT failures on a Ford Fiesta?
The most common MOT failures on the Ford Fiesta are: The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired (5.9%), A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning (4.4%), A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc (4.4%). These are the components most likely to cause an MOT failure.
Is the Ford Fiesta reliable?
With an average MOT pass rate of 75.2%, the Ford Fiesta is rated as "Good" for reliability. This is a strong result suggesting good build quality and fewer common defects.
How do I check the MOT history of a Ford Fiesta?
Enter the vehicle's registration number in the search box at the top of this page. You will instantly see the complete MOT history including every test result, mileage readings, advisories, and dangerous defects — completely free.
What mileage should I expect on a Ford Fiesta?
Typical mileage for the Ford Fiesta: 32,944 miles at 3 years. Use these benchmarks when evaluating a used Fiesta to spot vehicles with unusually high or low mileage.

Check Your Ford Fiesta's MOT History

Enter the registration number for the full MOT history — free and instant.

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