2016 Ford EcoSport — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2016 Ford EcoSport passed 84.8% of its 83,766 recorded MOT tests. Small SUVs of a similar age fail 14.1% of the time, so this is 1.1pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 11.1% of all tests — 6.2 points clear of tyres, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are stop lamp, wipers and headlamp aim — stop lamp alone was recorded 6,722 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.4% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 29.7% once past 150k — 3.5× the risk.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 14.8% of the time against 16.2% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 24.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 11.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 18.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 11.1% | 9,300 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.9% | 4,116 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.8% | 4,045 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.0% | 3,374 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 2.9% | 2,419 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.2% | 1,824 |
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 | 6,722 |
| 2 | Wipers | 2,750 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 2,372 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 1,899 |
| 5 | Rbt (sp) | 1,595 |
| 6 | Catalyst emissions | 1,525 |
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 | 24.4% | 20,456 |
| 2 | Suspension | 21.0% | 17,558 |
| 3 | Brakes | 14.9% | 12,517 |
| 4 | Other defects | 8.4% | 7,068 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.1% | 4,259 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 4.0% | 3,383 |
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 | 18,055 | 8.4% |
| 30-60k | 44,755 | 14.8% |
| 60-90k | 17,756 | 21.2% |
| 90-120k | 2,736 | 24.8% |
| 120-150k | 309 | 25.2% |
| 150k+ | 64 | 29.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 61,685 | 14.8% |
| Diesel | 22,081 | 16.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 16,526 | 11.8% |
| 2022 | 16,643 | 13.1% |
| 2023 | 16,732 | 14.7% |
| 2024 | 16,924 | 17.5% |
| 2025 | 16,941 | 18.5% |
What to check before buying a 2016 EcoSport
On a 2016 EcoSport, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 11.1% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (11.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (4.9% 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.
- 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 2016 Ford EcoSports pass their MOT?
84.8% of the 83,766 2016 Ford EcoSport MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Ford EcoSport?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.1% of tests, followed by tyres (4.9%).
Does the 2016 EcoSport get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.4% in the 0-30k band to 29.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 83,766 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.