2013 Ford C Max — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 83,090 MOT tests, the 2013 Ford C Max recorded an 82.9% pass rate. That is 3.8 percentage points better than MPVs of a similar age, which fail at 20.9%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 9.8% of all tests — 3.6 points clear of tyres, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, brake pads and headlamp aim — tread depth alone was recorded 2,998 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 7.8% in the 0-30k band and 24.1% in the 150k+ band, a 16.3-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 1.9pp more often than petrol ones (17.8% vs 15.9%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 30.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 14.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 20.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 9.8% | 8,147 |
| 2 | Tyres | 6.3% | 5,204 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.1% | 4,206 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.7% | 3,066 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.1% | 2,619 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.2% | 1,845 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 2,998 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 2,837 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 2,776 |
| 4 | Stop lamp | 2,294 |
| 5 | Wipers | 1,802 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 1,647 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 30.4% | 25,246 |
| 2 | Brakes | 23.9% | 19,822 |
| 3 | Suspension | 16.6% | 13,756 |
| 4 | Other defects | 10.1% | 8,411 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 5.1% | 4,255 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.2% | 3,463 |
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 | 2,363 | 7.8% |
| 30-60k | 22,086 | 12.2% |
| 60-90k | 34,128 | 17.4% |
| 90-120k | 17,973 | 21.6% |
| 120-150k | 5,116 | 23.1% |
| 150k+ | 1,416 | 24.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 53,028 | 17.8% |
| Petrol | 30,060 | 15.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 16,384 | 14.0% |
| 2022 | 16,616 | 15.4% |
| 2023 | 16,761 | 17.0% |
| 2024 | 16,847 | 18.9% |
| 2025 | 16,482 | 20.3% |
What to check before buying a 2013 C Max
On a 2013 C Max, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 9.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (9.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (6.3% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Brakes (5.1% 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
How many 2013 Ford C Maxs pass their MOT?
82.9% of the 83,090 2013 Ford C Max MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2013 Ford C Max?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 9.8% of tests, followed by tyres (6.3%).
Does the 2013 C Max get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.8% in the 0-30k band to 24.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 83,090 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.