2015 Ford EcoSport — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2015 Ford EcoSport passed 82.2% of its 63,235 recorded MOT tests. That is 1.4 percentage points worse than small SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 16.4%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.8% of tests against 5.9% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are stop lamp, wipers and headlamp aim — stop lamp alone was recorded 5,191 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 27.4% versus 9.0%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 17.5% of the time against 18.7% for diesel.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 27.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 14.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 11.8% | 7,432 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.9% | 3,761 |
| 3 | Tyres | 5.7% | 3,570 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.7% | 2,950 |
| 5 | Suspension | 3.1% | 1,959 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.1% | 1,953 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stop lamp | 5,191 |
| 2 | Wipers | 2,154 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 1,936 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 1,775 |
| 5 | Rbt (sp) | 1,614 |
| 6 | Track rod end | 1,436 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 27.0% | 17,080 |
| 2 | Tyres | 25.5% | 16,153 |
| 3 | Brakes | 16.4% | 10,369 |
| 4 | Other defects | 10.0% | 6,345 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.8% | 3,674 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.4% | 3,435 |
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 | 7,696 | 9.0% |
| 30-60k | 32,039 | 15.9% |
| 60-90k | 18,845 | 22.6% |
| 90-120k | 3,913 | 26.6% |
| 120-150k | 487 | 27.1% |
| 150k+ | 84 | 27.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 46,397 | 17.5% |
| Diesel | 16,838 | 18.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 12,427 | 14.1% |
| 2022 | 12,434 | 15.1% |
| 2023 | 12,682 | 17.9% |
| 2024 | 12,843 | 20.0% |
| 2025 | 12,849 | 21.9% |
What to check before buying a 2015 EcoSport
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 11.8% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (11.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (5.9% 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.
- Tyres (5.7% 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.
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 2015 Ford EcoSports pass their MOT?
82.2% of the 63,235 2015 Ford EcoSport MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Ford EcoSport?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.8% of tests, followed by brakes (5.9%).
Does the 2015 EcoSport get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.0% in the 0-30k band to 27.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 63,235 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.