Know Your MOT
23.1%fail rate

Ford Econoline common MOT failures and failure rate

What a Ford Econoline fails its MOT on, from real DVSA test data, and the part that resolves each item.

Based on 2,765 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 23.1% of MOT tests recorded on the Ford Econoline in DVSA data end in a failure. The same handful of items account for most of them.

Its most common failure is lamps & electrical, which makes up 53.1% of the Ford Econoline's failures, followed by lamps & electrical, brakes, suspension, exhaust & emissions. Each item below links to the part that resolves it. Confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying, and have safety-critical work done by a competent mechanic.

What it fails on, and why

Lamps & electrical53.1% of failures

Lighting is the single most common MOT failure and the cheapest to put right. A blown headlight, brake-light or number-plate bulb, a cracked lens, or a headlamp beam that points too high or low will all fail. Most are a two-minute bulb swap.

Brakes45.9% of failures

Brake failures cover worn pads and discs, an imbalance between wheels, corroded or scored discs, or a binding caliper. Braking efficiency is measured on a rolling road, so a spongy or pulling brake shows up as a low reading.

Suspension32.1% of failures

Suspension failures usually mean a worn or snapped coil spring, a leaking shock absorber, or play in a lower arm ball joint or bush. The tester checks for corrosion, fractures and excessive movement. A broken front spring is one of the most common failures on higher-mileage cars and is a straightforward replacement.

Exhaust & emissions24.4% of failures

Exhaust failures cover leaks, insecure mountings and emissions over the limit. A blowing exhaust, a failed lambda reading or a diesel that smokes beyond the limit will fail.

Visibility/wipers17.1% of failures

Visibility failures include torn or smearing wiper blades, a washer jet that does not reach the screen, and chips or cracks in the driver's swept area. Blades and washer fluid are quick, cheap fixes.

Other13.1% of failures

This covers a range of smaller items, from a non-working horn to a warning light left on.

Failure rate by year

How the MOT failure rate varies by the car's year of first registration (older examples generally fail more as wear sets in).

198825.0% fail · 104 tests
198927.5% fail · 265 tests
199021.7% fail · 198 tests
199222.8% fail · 316 tests
199324.9% fail · 325 tests
199424.1% fail · 295 tests
199525.9% fail · 143 tests
199615.1% fail · 152 tests
199719.9% fail · 146 tests

The parts that fix each

If your car has just failed, you have 10 working days to fix the items and get a free partial retest. These are the usual parts; confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying.

For the lamps & electrical failure: Ford Econoline headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for Ford Econoline headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind Ford Econoline headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the brakes failure: Ford Econoline brake pads and discsSearch Amazon for Ford Econoline brake pads and discsaffiliate searchFind Ford Econoline brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the suspension failure: Ford Econoline suspension springs and shock absorbersSearch Amazon for Ford Econoline suspension springs and shock absorbersaffiliate searchFind Ford Econoline suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate
For the exhaust & emissions failure: Ford Econoline exhaustSearch Amazon for Ford Econoline exhaustaffiliate searchFind Ford Econoline exhaust on eBayaffiliate
For the visibility/wipers failure: Ford Econoline wiper bladesSearch Amazon for Ford Econoline wiper bladesaffiliate searchFind Ford Econoline wiper blades on eBayaffiliate

Other models

Ford Fiesta MOT failures27.1% failure rateFord Focus MOT failures26.1% failure rateFord Transit MOT failures31.1% failure rateVauxhall Corsa MOT failures30.1% failure rate

Sources: DVSA MOT History API: MOT test results and defect data · DVSA MOT testing data for Great Britain