1982 Ford Escort — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 472 MOT tests, the 1982 Ford Escort recorded an 88.6% pass rate. That is 1.8 percentage points better than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 13.2%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (7.6%) and brakes (6.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, service brake imbalance and position lamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 20 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1982 Escort fails 9.8% of the time in the 0-30k band and 8.8% at 90-120k, a spread of only 1.0 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 14.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 12.3% in 2021 to 8.3% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 7.6% | 36 |
| 2 | Brakes | 6.4% | 30 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 3.4% | 16 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.2% | 15 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.0% | 14 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.1% | 10 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 20 |
| 2 | Service brake imbalance | 15 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 15 |
| 4 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 14 |
| 5 | Non catalyst emissions | 14 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 13 |
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 | 14.0% | 66 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 7.8% | 37 |
| 3 | Brakes | 7.4% | 35 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.4% | 30 |
| 5 | Other defects | 5.9% | 28 |
| 6 | Tyres | 3.8% | 18 |
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 | 122 | 9.8% |
| 30-60k | 151 | 11.9% |
| 60-90k | 155 | 13.6% |
| 90-120k | 34 | 8.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 138 | 12.3% |
| 2022 | 148 | 14.2% |
| 2023 | 71 | 8.5% |
| 2024 | 67 | 9.0% |
| 2025 | 48 | 8.3% |
What to check before buying a 1982 Escort
On a 1982 Escort, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 7.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (7.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (6.4% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (3.4% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
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 1982 Ford Escorts pass their MOT?
88.6% of the 472 1982 Ford Escort MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1982 Ford Escort?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.6% of tests, followed by brakes (6.4%).
Does the 1982 Escort get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.8% in the 0-30k band to 8.8% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 472 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.