1991 Ford Escort — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1991 Ford Escort passed 84.0% of its 1,578 recorded MOT tests. That is 4.2 percentage points better than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 20.2%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 10.8% of all tests — 3.3 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are service brake performance, component mounting prescribed areas and service brake imbalance — service brake performance alone was recorded 77 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 17.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 22.0% once past 90-120k.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 21.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 18.0% in 2021 to 14.8% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.8% | 170 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.5% | 118 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.8% | 92 |
| 4 | Suspension | 5.6% | 89 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.9% | 62 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.0% | 48 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Service brake performance | 77 |
| 2 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 68 |
| 3 | Service brake imbalance | 56 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 55 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 48 |
| 6 | Wipers | 43 |
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 | 21.0% | 332 |
| 2 | Brakes | 15.4% | 243 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 14.3% | 226 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 13.6% | 214 |
| 5 | Tyres | 9.8% | 154 |
| 6 | Other defects | 7.0% | 110 |
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 | 397 | 17.1% |
| 30-60k | 481 | 15.4% |
| 60-90k | 493 | 13.6% |
| 90-120k | 191 | 22.0% |
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 1,469 | 16.1% |
| Diesel | 109 | 15.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 373 | 18.0% |
| 2022 | 321 | 16.8% |
| 2023 | 314 | 17.5% |
| 2024 | 292 | 12.3% |
| 2025 | 278 | 14.8% |
What to check before buying a 1991 Escort
On a 1991 Escort, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 10.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (10.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.5% 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.
- Body, structure & corrosion (5.8% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
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 1991 Ford Escorts pass their MOT?
84.0% of the 1,578 1991 Ford Escort MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1991 Ford Escort?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.8% of tests, followed by brakes (7.5%).
Does the 1991 Escort get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 17.1% in the 0-30k band to 22.0% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,578 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.