Ford Focus MOT failure rate and common faults
851,102 Ford Focus cars aged 3 to 20 took their MOT in 2025, and 31.4% failed at the first attempt. An average car of the same age failed 30.4% of the time, which makes the Ford Focus 3% more likely to fail than the typical car on the road. Here is what fails, and which years to look for.
31.4%
failed first time
851,102 MOT tests in 2025
+3%
vs same age average
average car of this age mix: 30.4%
138 of 208
age adjusted rank
among cars; 1 fails least
124.3
dangerous defects per 1,000
same age average: 111.0
What fails on a Ford Focus MOT
Failure items recorded per 1,000 tests, by part of the car, set against an average car with exactly the same spread of ages. A figure well above average is a weak spot worth checking before you buy.
The most common Ford Focus MOT failures
The individual failure items testers recorded most often, per 1,000 tests.
| Failure item | Area | Per 1,000 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Position lamp: not working | Lights and electrics | 44.3 |
| Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 36.7 |
| Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect | Lights and electrics | 35.1 |
| Coil spring: fractured or broken | Suspension | 34.1 |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush excessively worn | Suspension | 25.7 |
| Tyres: has ply or cords exposed | Tyres | 22.9 |
| Stop lamp: not working | Lights and electrics | 21.6 |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick | Brakes | 20.8 |
| Headlamp aim: too low | Lights and electrics | 19.2 |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction | Engine, emissions and leaks | 16.9 |
Ford Focus MOT failure rate by year
Every car fails more often as it ages, so each registration year is compared with the average for all cars of the same age. Years with fewer than 500 tests are left out.
| First registered | Tests | Failed | Same age average | Average mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 15,837 | 9.9% | 11.4% | 25,900 |
| 2021 | 20,848 | 11.2% | 12.8% | 35,000 |
| 2020 | 37,990 | 14.3% | 14.1% | 41,600 |
| 2019 | 55,239 | 18.4% | 16.5% | 49,000 |
| 2018 | 47,244 | 18.2% | 19.1% | 54,200 |
| 2017 | 63,265 | 19.2% | 21.8% | 63,800 |
| 2016 | 63,215 | 23.1% | 25.1% | 72,400 |
| 2015 | 74,065 | 27.6% | 28.1% | 80,600 |
| 2014 | 72,088 | 35.7% | 31.4% | 87,300 |
| 2013 | 70,196 | 37.8% | 34.3% | 94,700 |
| 2012 | 64,197 | 38.3% | 36.6% | 100,200 |
| 2011 | 59,185 | 41.9% | 38.8% | 104,700 |
| 2010 | 49,338 | 43.4% | 40.7% | 104,800 |
| 2009 | 48,365 | 44.3% | 41.8% | 105,600 |
| 2008 | 38,683 | 44.4% | 42.9% | 108,100 |
| 2007 | 32,195 | 42.5% | 42.7% | 107,000 |
| 2006 | 22,864 | 42.0% | 43.0% | 107,500 |
| 2005 | 16,288 | 45.2% | 42.4% | 105,900 |
Advisories to look for in a Ford Focus's MOT history
An advisory is a tester's warning that something is wearing but has not failed yet. These are the ones written most often on the Ford Focus, per 1,000 tests. If the car you are looking at has one of these, ask whether it has been fixed since.
- Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge327.8
- Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement142.1
- Tyres: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing134.5
- Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened109.0
- Brake pads: wearing thin98.7
- Coil spring: corroded75.2
Checking a used Ford Focus before you buy
Against cars of the same age, the Ford Focus fails more often than average on lights and electrics and tyres. Start there.
Lights and electrics
Walk round the car with every light on: headlights on dip and main beam, indicators, brake lights, fog lights and the number plate lamp. A pattern of electrical faults costs more than a bulb.
Tyres
Check the tread across the full width of every tyre, inner edge included. Uneven wear points to worn suspension or out of line steering geometry.
Averages only take you so far. The specific car's MOT history shows whether it has already failed on any of these, how often advisories were ignored, and whether the mileage climbs steadily from test to test. Read our guide to reading a car's MOT history before you go to view it.
Fuel mix of the Ford Focus cars tested: Petrol 68%, Diesel 32%. Average age at test 11.3 years, average recorded mileage 82,400.
Ford Focus MOT questions
What is the Ford Focus MOT failure rate?
31.4% of Ford Focus cars failed their first MOT test of 2025, from 851,102 tests on vehicles aged 3 to 20. An average car with the same age mix failed 30.4% of the time, so the Ford Focus was 3% more likely to fail.
What fails most often on a Ford Focus MOT?
Lights and electrics caused the most failure items, at 237 per 1,000 tests. The single most common failure item was "Position lamp: not working", recorded 44.3 times per 1,000 tests.
Which Ford Focus year has the best MOT record?
Measured against cars of the same age, 2022 registrations did best: 9.9% failed against an average of 11.4% for cars that age. Older cars always fail more often, so compare a year with its age group rather than with newer cars.
Does this tell me whether a particular Ford Focus will pass?
No. These are averages across every Ford Focus tested in 2025. The car in front of you has its own record: its full MOT history shows every pass, failure and advisory it has had, and it is free to view by registration.
Other Ford models
- Ford Fiesta34.1% failed
- Ford Kuga20.6% failed
- Ford Transit37.5% failed
- Ford Transit Custom22.8% failed
- Ford Ka33.3% failed
- Ford Mondeo32.3% failed
Ranked close to the Ford Focus
- Nissan Noterank 136
- Kia Sportagerank 137
- Volvo C30rank 139
- SEAT Aronarank 140
How these figures are calculated
Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 release. We count first tests of cars and small vans (class 4) aged 3 to 20, so a car that fails and is retested is counted once. A failure includes faults fixed and passed within the same visit. The same age average weights the national failure rate for each age by how many Ford Focus cars of that age were tested, so a model is never penalised for having an older fleet. Make and model are as recorded at the test; trim levels are combined. Full method and rankings.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.