2014 Ford C Max — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2014 Ford C Max passed 83.1% of its 75,807 recorded MOT tests. Against MPVs of a similar age (19.1% fail rate), the 2014 C Max comes out 2.1pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (9.0%) and tyres (7.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, tread depth and headlamp aim — brake pads alone was recorded 2,579 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 25.2% versus 8.4%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 14.7% fail against 17.9% for diesel, a 3.2-point gap across 75,803 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 28.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 13.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 19.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 9.0% | 6,791 |
| 2 | Tyres | 7.1% | 5,418 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.8% | 3,628 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.4% | 2,611 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.0% | 2,254 |
| 6 | Suspension | 2.2% | 1,659 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 2,579 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 2,451 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 2,240 |
| 4 | Wipers | 2,021 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 1,833 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 1,760 |
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 | 28.5% | 21,631 |
| 2 | Brakes | 22.5% | 17,055 |
| 3 | Suspension | 11.8% | 8,968 |
| 4 | Other defects | 10.0% | 7,548 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 5.2% | 3,922 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.0% | 3,003 |
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 | 3,900 | 8.4% |
| 30-60k | 27,795 | 13.1% |
| 60-90k | 29,325 | 18.6% |
| 90-120k | 11,383 | 22.6% |
| 120-150k | 2,624 | 24.4% |
| 150k+ | 761 | 25.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 52,362 | 17.9% |
| Petrol | 23,441 | 14.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 14,842 | 13.7% |
| 2022 | 15,067 | 15.5% |
| 2023 | 15,290 | 16.8% |
| 2024 | 15,367 | 18.8% |
| 2025 | 15,241 | 19.7% |
What to check before buying a 2014 C Max
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 9.0% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (9.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (7.1% 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 (4.8% 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
How many 2014 Ford C Maxs pass their MOT?
83.1% of the 75,807 2014 Ford C Max MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Ford C Max?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 9.0% of tests, followed by tyres (7.1%).
Does the 2014 C Max get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.4% in the 0-30k band to 25.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 75,807 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.