Ford Benimar MOT pass rate & common failures
3,090 MOT tests on the Ford Benimar (2016–2023) give it a 96.2% pass rate. All cars of a similar age fail 10.5% of the time, so this is 6.7pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 4.9% of all tests — 4.0 points clear of visibility, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, outline marker lamp and side repeaters — headlamp aim alone was recorded 97 times.
How it compares
By model year
Every Benimar model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 442 | 94.8% | 5.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2018 | 1,073 | 95.9% | 4.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2019 | 894 | 96.9% | 3.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2020 | 298 | 95.3% | 4.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 249 | 97.2% | 2.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2022 | 123 | 97.6% | 2.4% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 4.9% | 151 |
| 2 | Visibility | 0.8% | 26 |
| 3 | Brakes | 0.8% | 25 |
| 4 | Tyres | 0.4% | 13 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.2% | 7 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.2% | 6 |
| 7 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.2% | 6 |
| 8 | Suspension | 0.2% | 6 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 97 |
| 2 | Outline marker lamp | 30 |
| 3 | Side repeaters | 23 |
| 4 | Wipers | 23 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 19 |
| 6 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 16 |
| 7 | Service brake performance | 14 |
| 8 | Stop lamp | 11 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 3.8% | 116 |
| 2 | Tyres | 3.4% | 104 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 3.3% | 101 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.6% | 49 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.1% | 33 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.9% | 29 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 2,933 | 3.3% |
| 30-60k | 152 | 13.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 311 | 2.9% |
| 2022 | 532 | 3.4% |
| 2023 | 627 | 4.0% |
| 2024 | 738 | 4.5% |
| 2025 | 882 | 3.9% |
What to check before buying a Ford Benimar
- Lighting & signalling (4.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (0.8% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Brakes (0.8% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Ford Benimar?
96.2% of the 3,090 Ford Benimar MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 3.9% fail rate, across model years 2016–2023.
What does the Ford Benimar most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 4.9% of tests, then visibility (0.8%).
Methodology & source. Based on 3,090 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.