2025 MOT results
Ford Mondeo common problems
The most common reason a Ford Mondeo fails its MOT is a sidelight out, on 10.2% of its 56,488 failed tests in 2025. Against other cars of the same age, 2 faults stand out: a tyre worn through to the cords at 7.6% of failures against 4.6% expected; worn brake pads at 8.6% of failures against 5.7% expected.
- Tests in 2025 172,058 Cars aged three and over
- Failed first time 32.8% 56,488 tests
- Found a dangerous defect 10.3% Unsafe to drive away
- Ended with an advisory 62.3% A problem to watch, not a failure
What fails a Ford Mondeo MOT
Each bar is the share of failed Ford Mondeo tests with that defect. Where we can compare it with cars of the same registration years, the marker shows what an average car of those ages records (11 of the 12 items below).
Most common reasons for failure
A test can fail for more than one defect, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Defect | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Position lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 10.2% |
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 9.1% |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick Brakes | 8.6% |
| Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres | 7.6% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush excessively worn Suspension | 7.0% |
| Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 6.5% |
| Stop lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 5.5% |
| Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 5.4% |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction Noise, emissions and leaks | 5.4% |
| Parking brake efficiency below requirements Brakes | 4.7% |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility | 4.7% |
| Suspension arm: corroded and seriously weakened Suspension | 4.5% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
-
Sidelight out
10.2% of failures 10.4% expected about as expected
A sidelight, also called a position lamp, not working. It marks the width of the car at night.
Walk round the car with the lights on and the hazards going; these are the cheapest failures to avoid.
-
Tyre worn below the legal limit
9.1% of failures 7.6% expected somewhat more often
A tyre worn past the 1.6mm legal minimum across the middle three quarters of the tread.
A 20p coin in the main grooves: if the outer band of the coin is visible, the tyre is close to the limit.
-
Worn brake pads
8.6% of failures 5.7% expected 1.5 times as often
Friction material worn under 1.5mm, thinner than the point most manufacturers call the limit.
Look through the wheel spokes at the pad against the disc; wear indicators squeal before they get this far.
-
Tyre worn through to the cords
7.6% of failures 4.6% expected 1.7 times as often
The tyre is worn or damaged far enough to expose the cords underneath, which is a dangerous defect.
Run a hand round the inner and outer walls of each tyre, which is where kerbing shows.
-
Worn suspension bushes
7.0% of failures 5.0% expected somewhat more often
Worn rubber bushes in a suspension arm, letting the arm move under load.
Perished or cracked rubber at the inner ends of the lower arms, visible with the wheel turned.
-
Headlamp aim out of line
6.5% of failures 5.6% expected somewhat more often
The beam pattern points too high, too low, or in the wrong place, so it either dazzles others or lights too little road.
Nothing to do at the roadside, but a garage resets the aim in minutes; a sagging suspension corner or a heavy boot load can throw it out.
Which parts of the car fail
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment is the area that most often fails a Ford Mondeo, on 42.1% of failed tests. The widest gap against cars of the same registration years is tyres, on 26.9% against 20.4% expected.
Failure categories
DVSA's own sections of the test. The marker is what cars of the same registration years record.
| Defect category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 42.1% |
| Suspension | 32.4% |
| Tyres | 26.9% |
| Brakes | 23.8% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 13.5% |
| Visibility | 12.4% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 12.1% |
| Steering | 7.5% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What testers warn about
62.3% of Ford Mondeo tests ended with at least one advisory: a fault the tester found that did not fail the test. On Ford Mondeos, these are the items to ask about on a car you are viewing, because they are what the last tester expected to go next.
Most common advisories
Share of all tests, passes included.
| Advisory | Share of tests |
|---|---|
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres | 23.9% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 12.2% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 10.8% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension | 9.0% |
| Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened Suspension | 8.3% |
| Coil spring: corroded Suspension | 8.1% |
| Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks | 7.8% |
| Suspension arm: corroded but not seriously weakened Suspension | 7.5% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 6.7% |
| Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread Identification of the vehicle | 4.6% |
| Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material Brakes | 4.6% |
| Exhaust system: mounting defective Body, chassis, structure | 3.2% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What changes as a Ford Mondeo gets older
A 2020 Ford Mondeo failed 14.2% of its MOT tests in 2025; a 2004 one failed 44.3%. What fails changes as much as how often, and these are the two years themselves rather than an average across them.
2020 Ford Mondeo 14.2% failed, from 2,239 tests
- Tyre worn below the legal limit 18.8%
- Tyre worn through to the cords 15.0%
- Wiper blades that do not clear the screen 14.4%
- Cut tyre 9.7%
- Worn brake pads 8.8%
- Engine management light on 6.6%
2004 Ford Mondeo 44.3% failed, from 2,836 tests
- Weak handbrake 13.6%
- Sidelight out 10.8%
- Broken coil spring 9.5%
- Headlamp aim out of line 8.4%
- Corroded brake pipes 8.0%
- Braking fault 7.6%
Shares are of each year's failed tests. Every MOT a particular car has had, with the defects and advisories written at each test, is on GOV.UK's MOT history service from the registration, free.
Ford Mondeo problems: common questions
What is the most common problem with a Ford Mondeo?
Of the faults that fail an MOT, “Position lamp: not working” is the most common: it appears on 10.2% of failed Ford Mondeo tests. Across categories, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment is the area that most often fails one, on 42.1% of failed tests.
How often does a Ford Mondeo fail its MOT?
32.8% of Ford Mondeo tests in 2025 were not passed first time, from 172,058 tests of cars aged three and over. Allowing for the age and mileage of the cars tested, that gives it a UK Motoring Reliability Score of 50 out of 100, where 50 is as expected.
Does anything fail more often on a Ford Mondeo than on other cars?
Yes. “Tyres: ply or cords exposed” appears on 7.6% of its failures against 4.6% for cars of the same age, and “Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick” appears on 8.6% of its failures against 5.7% for cars of the same age. Where an item is missing from the national figures for a year, we use the smallest share those figures show, so the comparison never overstates the difference.
Are these the same as breakdowns or known faults?
No. These are the items a tester recorded at the MOT, which covers condition and safety: lamps, brakes, tyres, suspension, corrosion and emissions. A gearbox that is unpleasant, an infotainment screen that has died, or a car that will not start on a cold morning are not part of the test, so they are not in these figures.
Where do the figures come from?
Every normal MOT test of a Ford Mondeo aged three and over in Great Britain in 2025, from DVSA's anonymised MOT results. Retests are excluded, and the same fault on more than one wheel counts once.
Data stories to read next
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOT defects and advisories | Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency Derived statistics UK Motoring | 2025 | 172,058 MOT tests | 19 September 2026 |
- Shares for defects are of failed tests; shares for advisories are of all tests. A test can carry several defects, so shares add to more than 100%.
- The expected share is what an average car of the same registration years records, weighted by where this model’s failures fall. Where an item is outside the national figures for a year, the smallest share those figures show is used in its place, which is an upper bound, so the comparison never overstates a model’s problems. No expectation is published where less than 80% of the model’s failures can be compared.
- Great Britain only: DVSA does not run MOT testing in Northern Ireland. Cars under three years old are not tested.
- The descriptions of what each part does are general and the same on every model. Every figure comes from the MOT data.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.