Ford Cougar MOT pass rate & common failures
The Ford Cougar appears in 3,661 MOT tests spanning model years 1998–2022, and 70.7% of them passed. Coupes & convertibles of a similar age fail 22.0% of the time, so this is 7.4pp worse than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are brakes, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (16.0%) and lighting & signalling (15.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, rbt (sp) and position lamp — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 354 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 30.6% versus 15.2%.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 42.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 30.3% in 2021 to 27.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Cougar model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 197 | 63.4% | 36.5% | Brakes |
| 1999 | 1,088 | 69.7% | 30.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 1,309 | 70.7% | 29.3% | Brakes |
| 2001 | 835 | 70.7% | 29.3% | Brakes |
| 2009 | 39 | 76.9% | 23.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 40 | 82.5% | 17.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 40 | 80.0% | 20.0% | Suspension |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 16.0% | 587 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 15.5% | 566 |
| 3 | Suspension | 15.4% | 565 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.0% | 220 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.8% | 212 |
| 6 | Tyres | 3.5% | 128 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 3.3% | 119 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 2.6% | 95 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 354 |
| 2 | Rbt (sp) | 333 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 274 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 267 |
| 5 | Rigid brake pipes | 231 |
| 6 | Integral vehicle structure condition | 163 |
| 7 | Pins and bushes | 158 |
| 8 | Service brake performance | 152 |
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 | 42.8% | 1,568 |
| 2 | Suspension | 38.0% | 1,393 |
| 3 | Tyres | 21.1% | 773 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 16.2% | 594 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 12.8% | 469 |
| 6 | Other defects | 10.9% | 398 |
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 | 145 | 15.2% |
| 30-60k | 534 | 19.5% |
| 60-90k | 1,255 | 31.2% |
| 90-120k | 1,036 | 31.3% |
| 120-150k | 492 | 34.5% |
| 150k+ | 193 | 30.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 3,481 | 29.8% |
| Diesel | 178 | 19.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,018 | 30.3% |
| 2022 | 849 | 29.6% |
| 2023 | 698 | 28.8% |
| 2024 | 594 | 29.3% |
| 2025 | 502 | 27.7% |
What to check before buying a Ford Cougar
- Brakes (16.0% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (15.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (15.4% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
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 Cougar?
70.7% of the 3,661 Ford Cougar MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 29.3% fail rate, across model years 1998–2022.
What does the Ford Cougar most often fail its MOT on?
Brakes, recorded in 16.0% of tests, then lighting & signalling (15.5%).
How much does mileage affect Cougar MOT results?
Fail rates run at 15.2% for cars in the 0-30k band and 30.6% for 150k+, a 15.4-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,661 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.