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Ford Thunderbird MOT Check

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

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84.9%

Avg Pass Rate

-0.2%

vs Ford Avg

3

Year Ranges

Good

Reliability

Ford Thunderbird — MOT Reliability Overview

The Ford Thunderbird has an average MOT pass rate of 84.9%, which is 0.2 percentage points below the Ford brand average of 85.1%. This is a strong result, indicating that the Thunderbird is well-engineered and tends to age well mechanically. Owners can expect fewer surprises at MOT time.

The most common reasons a Ford Thunderbird fails its MOT are steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn. If you are preparing your Thunderbird 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.

Before buying a used Ford Thunderbird, 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 Thunderbird performs at MOT across different model years.

2005

Based on 40 vehicles

85.0%Excellent
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

6.3%

2002

Based on 32 vehicles

84.4%Good
Ford average: 85.1%
Dangerous Defects

0.0%

Retest Rate

19.0%

0

Based on 75 vehicles

85.3%Excellent
Ford average: 85.1%
Mileage at 5yr

52k mi

Top MOT Failures — Ford Thunderbird

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

1

Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc

30.0%
2

A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn

30.0%
Ford Thunderbird Common Faults & Repair Costs

Where Failures Occur

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

Front Offside

15.0%

Front Nearside

15.0%

Rear Offside Lower

10.0%

Other Ford Models

Compare MOT reliability across Ford models.

Ford Grand Tourneo Connect

75.7% pass rate

Ford Puma St-line

95.4% pass rate

Ford Tourneo Connect

89.9% pass rate

Ford Focus Active Edition Mhev

93.1% pass rate

Ford Mondeo

67.1% pass rate

Ford Focus C - Max

96.1% pass rate

Useful MOT Guides

Common MOT Failures

The most common reasons UK vehicles fail their MOT — and how to prepare.

MOT Checklist

Pre-MOT checklist to improve your chances of passing first time.

Advisory vs Failure

Understanding the difference between MOT advisories and failures.

See detailed fault analysis for Ford Thunderbird

Ford Thunderbird — Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about the Ford Thunderbird MOT and reliability.

What is the MOT pass rate for the Ford Thunderbird?
The average MOT pass rate for the Ford Thunderbird is 84.9% 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 Thunderbird?
The most common MOT failures on the Ford Thunderbird are: Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc (30.0%), A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn (30.0%). These are the components most likely to cause an MOT failure.
Is the Ford Thunderbird reliable?
With an average MOT pass rate of 84.9%, the Ford Thunderbird 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 Thunderbird?
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 Thunderbird?
Typical mileage for the Ford Thunderbird: 52,332 miles at 5 years. Use these benchmarks when evaluating a used Thunderbird to spot vehicles with unusually high or low mileage.

Check Your Ford Thunderbird's MOT History

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

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