Know Your MOT
17.1%fail rate

Ford Non-Car Derived common MOT failures and failure rate

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

Based on 146 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 17.1% of MOT tests recorded on the Ford Non-Car Derived in DVSA data end in a failure. The same handful of items account for most of them.

Its most common failure is suspension, which makes up 52.0% of the Ford Non-Car Derived's failures, followed by suspension, lamps & electrical, brakes, seat belts. 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

Suspension52.0% 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.

Lamps & electrical44.0% 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.

Brakes36.0% 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.

Seat belts24.0% of failures

Seat-belt failures are frays, cuts, corroded anchorages, or a belt that will not lock under a sharp pull or retract properly.

Visibility/wipers24.0% 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.

Body & structure24.0% of failures

Structural failures are corrosion in load-bearing areas, sharp edges, or insecure panels. These are inspection-and-welding jobs rather than a simple bolt-on part, so weigh them against the value of the car.

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 suspension failure: Ford Non-Car Derived suspension springs and shock absorbersSearch Amazon for Ford Non-Car Derived suspension springs and shock absorbersaffiliate searchFind Ford Non-Car Derived suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate
For the lamps & electrical failure: Ford Non-Car Derived headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for Ford Non-Car Derived headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind Ford Non-Car Derived headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the brakes failure: Ford Non-Car Derived brake pads and discsSearch Amazon for Ford Non-Car Derived brake pads and discsaffiliate searchFind Ford Non-Car Derived brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the seat belts failure: Ford Non-Car Derived seat beltsSearch Amazon for Ford Non-Car Derived seat beltsaffiliate searchFind Ford Non-Car Derived seat belts on eBayaffiliate
For the visibility/wipers failure: Ford Non-Car Derived wiper bladesSearch Amazon for Ford Non-Car Derived wiper bladesaffiliate searchFind Ford Non-Car Derived 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 ยท DVSA MOT testing data for Great Britain