2016 Ford C Max — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 60,093 MOT tests, the 2016 Ford C Max recorded an 87.7% pass rate. MPVs of a similar age fail 15.3% of the time, so this is 3.0pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.9%) and lighting & signalling (3.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, wipers and tread depth — brake pads alone was recorded 1,964 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 7.4% in the 0-30k band and 20.1% in the 150k+ band, a 12.6-point spread — more than double.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 11.5% of the time against 12.7% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 27.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 10.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 15.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.9% | 3,565 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 3.9% | 2,328 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.6% | 2,191 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.6% | 2,139 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.3% | 764 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.9% | 565 |
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 | 1,964 |
| 2 | Wipers | 1,928 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 1,668 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 849 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 739 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 694 |
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 | 27.6% | 16,557 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.2% | 9,734 |
| 3 | Other defects | 9.3% | 5,594 |
| 4 | Suspension | 6.3% | 3,781 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.2% | 1,950 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.3% | 789 |
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 | 12,435 | 7.4% |
| 30-60k | 30,054 | 11.5% |
| 60-90k | 13,574 | 16.3% |
| 90-120k | 3,174 | 18.9% |
| 120-150k | 576 | 21.5% |
| 150k+ | 264 | 20.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 40,449 | 12.7% |
| Petrol | 19,639 | 11.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 11,813 | 10.0% |
| 2022 | 11,957 | 11.2% |
| 2023 | 12,035 | 12.1% |
| 2024 | 11,976 | 13.0% |
| 2025 | 12,312 | 15.0% |
What to check before buying a 2016 C Max
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 5.9% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (5.9% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (3.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (3.6% 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.
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 2016 Ford C Maxs pass their MOT?
87.7% of the 60,093 2016 Ford C Max MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Ford C Max?
Tyres, recorded in 5.9% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (3.9%).
Does the 2016 C Max get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.4% in the 0-30k band to 20.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 60,093 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.