Know Your MOT

MOT failure rate and common problems for the Ford Interceptor, and how to check your own car by registration.

Updated 05 September 2026.

31.5%fail rate

Ford Interceptor MOT failure rate

What a Ford Interceptor fails its MOT on, and the part that fixes each.

What it fails on, and why

Lamps & electrical58.8% 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.

Brakes41.2% 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.

Other23.5% of failures

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

Exhaust & emissions17.6% 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.

Tyres5.9% of failures

Tyres fail for tread below the 1.6mm legal limit across the central three-quarters, uneven or exposed-cord wear, or sidewall damage. The tester inspects all four; a single illegal tyre is a fail.

Visibility/wipers5.9% 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.

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. Confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying.

For the lamps & electrical failure: Ford Interceptor headlight and indicator bulbsShop Ford Interceptor headlight and indicator bulbs on AmazonaffiliateFind Ford Interceptor headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the brakes failure: Ford Interceptor brake pads and discsShop Ford Interceptor brake pads and discs on AmazonaffiliateFind Ford Interceptor brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the exhaust & emissions failure: Ford Interceptor exhaustShop Ford Interceptor exhaust on AmazonaffiliateFind Ford Interceptor exhaust on eBayaffiliate
For the tyres failure: Ford Interceptor tyresShop Ford Interceptor tyres on AmazonaffiliateFind Ford Interceptor tyres on eBayaffiliate
For the visibility/wipers failure: Ford Interceptor wiper bladesShop Ford Interceptor wiper blades on AmazonaffiliateFind Ford Interceptor wiper blades on eBayaffiliate

Other models

All Ford models MOT failure rates comparedRanked worst to bestFord Fiesta MOT failures27.1% failure rateFord Focus MOT failures26.1% failure rateVauxhall Corsa MOT failures29.9% failure rate

Questions and answers

What is the MOT failure rate of the Ford Interceptor?

It fails 31.5% of its MOT tests across the DVSA record, from 54 tests.

What do these cars fail their MOT on most?

The most common failure area is lamps & electrical, at 58.8% of this model's failures.