Know Your MOT
11.8%fail rate

Ford Trike common MOT failures and failure rate

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

Based on 178 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 11.8% of MOT tests recorded on the Ford Trike in DVSA data end in a failure. The same handful of items account for most of them.

Its most common failure is brakes, which makes up 38.1% of the Ford Trike's failures, followed by brakes, lamps & electrical, suspension, fuel system. 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

Brakes38.1% 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.

Lamps & electrical33.3% 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.

Suspension23.8% 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.

Fuel system14.3% of failures

Fuel-system failures are leaks or an insecure filler cap.

Steering14.3% of failures

Steering faults are typically worn track-rod ends or ball joints, play in the rack, or a split gaiter letting grease out and dirt in. Excessive free play at the wheel fails.

Other9.5% of failures

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

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 brakes failure: Ford Trike brake pads and discsSearch Amazon for Ford Trike brake pads and discsaffiliate searchFind Ford Trike brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the lamps & electrical failure: Ford Trike headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for Ford Trike headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind Ford Trike headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the suspension failure: Ford Trike suspension springs and shock absorbersSearch Amazon for Ford Trike suspension springs and shock absorbersaffiliate searchFind Ford Trike suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate
For the steering failure: Ford Trike steering track rod endsSearch Amazon for Ford Trike steering track rod endsaffiliate searchFind Ford Trike steering track rod ends 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