2002 Ford Escort — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2002 Ford Escort passed 73.4% of its 2,207 recorded MOT tests. Small family cars of a similar age fail 28.0% of the time, so this is 1.4pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (15.4%) and lighting & signalling (14.0%) 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, service brake performance and integral vehicle structure condition — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 473 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2002 Escort fails 24.4% of the time in the 0-30k band and 27.6% at 150k+, a spread of only 3.1 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 34.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 28.5% in 2021 to 23.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 15.4% | 340 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 14.0% | 308 |
| 3 | Brakes | 12.7% | 281 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.9% | 262 |
| 5 | Visibility | 6.8% | 149 |
| 6 | Tyres | 5.0% | 110 |
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 | 473 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 165 |
| 3 | Integral vehicle structure condition | 144 |
| 4 | Chassis condition | 137 |
| 5 | Rigid brake pipes | 125 |
| 6 | Prescribed areas | 125 |
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 | 34.8% | 769 |
| 2 | Suspension | 33.0% | 729 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 23.7% | 523 |
| 4 | Tyres | 20.7% | 456 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 16.1% | 356 |
| 6 | Other defects | 13.4% | 295 |
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 | 45 | 24.4% |
| 30-60k | 200 | 23.5% |
| 60-90k | 497 | 26.4% |
| 90-120k | 704 | 28.3% |
| 120-150k | 471 | 25.7% |
| 150k+ | 283 | 27.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 2,003 | 26.9% |
| Petrol | 199 | 24.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 632 | 28.5% |
| 2022 | 515 | 26.6% |
| 2023 | 434 | 24.6% |
| 2024 | 356 | 28.1% |
| 2025 | 270 | 23.7% |
What to check before buying a 2002 Escort
On a 2002 Escort, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 15.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- 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.
- Lighting & signalling (14.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (12.7% 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 2002 Ford Escorts pass their MOT?
73.4% of the 2,207 2002 Ford Escort MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 26.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2002 Ford Escort?
Suspension, recorded in 15.4% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (14.0%).
Does the 2002 Escort get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 24.4% in the 0-30k band to 27.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,207 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.