Ford Ka MOT failure rate and common faults
165,490 Ford Ka cars aged 3 to 20 took their MOT in 2025, and 33.3% failed at the first attempt. An average car of the same age failed 32.5% of the time, which makes the Ford Ka 3% more likely to fail than the typical car on the road. Here is what fails, and which years to look for.
33.3%
failed first time
165,490 MOT tests in 2025
+3%
vs same age average
average car of this age mix: 32.5%
135 of 208
age adjusted rank
among cars; 1 fails least
112.5
dangerous defects per 1,000
same age average: 117.2
What fails on a Ford Ka 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 Ka MOT failures
The individual failure items testers recorded most often, per 1,000 tests.
| Failure item | Area | Per 1,000 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension arms: pin or bush excessively worn | Suspension | 42.2 |
| Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak | Suspension | 37.8 |
| Shock absorbers: has an excessively worn bush | Suspension | 36.0 |
| Ball joint excessively worn | Suspension | 34.7 |
| Stop lamp: not working | Lights and electrics | 34.5 |
| Position lamp: not working | Lights and electrics | 31.5 |
| Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 30.6 |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 27.3 |
| Parking brake efficiency: efficiency below requirements | Brakes | 22.2 |
| Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases | Body, chassis, exhaust and drive shafts | 21.4 |
Ford Ka 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 9,990 | 13.8% | 16.5% | 31,100 |
| 2018 | 10,926 | 20.1% | 19.1% | 36,900 |
| 2017 | 13,231 | 19.0% | 21.8% | 42,000 |
| 2016 | 8,243 | 28.0% | 25.1% | 45,700 |
| 2015 | 13,067 | 31.6% | 28.1% | 50,100 |
| 2014 | 18,174 | 31.0% | 31.4% | 55,800 |
| 2013 | 18,099 | 34.0% | 34.3% | 61,700 |
| 2012 | 16,158 | 35.7% | 36.6% | 65,800 |
| 2011 | 14,966 | 38.6% | 38.8% | 71,600 |
| 2010 | 16,814 | 43.7% | 40.7% | 76,300 |
| 2009 | 15,579 | 44.4% | 41.8% | 78,100 |
| 2008 | 3,587 | 50.0% | 42.9% | 54,100 |
| 2007 | 2,855 | 49.9% | 42.7% | 53,900 |
| 2006 | 2,071 | 49.6% | 43.0% | 52,400 |
| 2005 | 1,722 | 46.6% | 42.4% | 51,700 |
Advisories to look for in a Ford Ka'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 Ka, 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 edge262.3
- Coil spring: corroded184.0
- Tyres: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing171.8
- Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement160.0
- Shock absorbers: has light misting of oil103.3
- Exhaust system: has a minor leak of exhaust gases92.3
Checking a used Ford Ka before you buy
Against cars of the same age, the Ford Ka fails more often than average on suspension. Start there.
Suspension
Drive over speed bumps with the radio off and listen for knocks. Look at the car side on: a corner sitting lower than the others often means a broken coil spring.
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.
Ford Ka MOT questions
What is the Ford Ka MOT failure rate?
33.3% of Ford Ka cars failed their first MOT test of 2025, from 165,490 tests on vehicles aged 3 to 20. An average car with the same age mix failed 32.5% of the time, so the Ford Ka was 3% more likely to fail.
What fails most often on a Ford Ka MOT?
Suspension caused the most failure items, at 257 per 1,000 tests. The single most common failure item was "Suspension arms: pin or bush excessively worn", recorded 42.2 times per 1,000 tests.
Which Ford Ka year has the best MOT record?
Measured against cars of the same age, 2019 registrations did best: 13.8% failed against an average of 16.5% 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 Ka will pass?
No. These are averages across every Ford Ka 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 Focus31.4% failed
- Ford Kuga20.6% failed
- Ford Transit37.5% failed
- Ford Transit Custom22.8% failed
- Ford Mondeo32.3% failed
Ranked close to the Ford Ka
- Mazda 6rank 132
- Vauxhall Agilarank 133
- Skoda Rapidrank 134
- Nissan Noterank 136
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 Ka 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.