Ford F150 MOT pass rate & common failures
3,804 MOT tests on the Ford F150 (1981–2025) give it an 85.0% pass rate. Against all cars of a similar age (22.6% fail rate), the F150 comes out 7.6pp better. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 10.5% of all tests — 3.9 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, rear fog lamp and individual direction indicators — headlamp aim alone was recorded 160 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 8.7% in the 0-30k band and 20.6% in the 150k+ band, a 11.9-point spread — more than double.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 18.4% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every F150 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 101 | 79.2% | 20.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 43 | 83.7% | 16.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 135 | 85.9% | 14.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 186 | 85.0% | 15.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 187 | 84.0% | 16.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 210 | 80.0% | 20.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 341 | 85.9% | 14.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 340 | 83.2% | 16.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 176 | 84.1% | 15.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 148 | 83.1% | 16.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 110 | 80.9% | 19.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 96 | 81.3% | 18.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 81 | 81.5% | 18.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 141 | 84.4% | 15.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 106 | 84.9% | 15.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 84 | 83.3% | 16.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 158 | 86.1% | 13.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 117 | 86.3% | 13.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 122 | 87.7% | 12.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 161 | 90.1% | 9.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2017 | 153 | 89.5% | 10.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2018 | 169 | 89.9% | 10.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2019 | 87 | 95.4% | 4.6% | Visibility |
| 2020 | 61 | 88.5% | 11.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 58 | 91.4% | 8.6% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.5% | 400 |
| 2 | Brakes | 6.7% | 253 |
| 3 | Suspension | 4.1% | 156 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 2.8% | 105 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.4% | 90 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.2% | 84 |
| 7 | Tyres | 1.6% | 62 |
| 8 | Steering | 1.6% | 60 |
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 | 160 |
| 2 | Rear fog lamp | 150 |
| 3 | Individual direction indicators | 113 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 107 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 104 |
| 6 | Ball joint | 95 |
| 7 | Rbt (sp) | 95 |
| 8 | Catalyst emissions | 86 |
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 | 18.4% | 698 |
| 2 | Suspension | 16.8% | 640 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 10.1% | 384 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.6% | 328 |
| 5 | Tyres | 8.6% | 326 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 6.6% | 250 |
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 | 390 | 8.7% |
| 30-60k | 794 | 12.1% |
| 60-90k | 868 | 14.6% |
| 90-120k | 733 | 15.7% |
| 120-150k | 476 | 17.6% |
| 150k+ | 523 | 20.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 3,750 | 15.1% |
| Diesel | 41 | 9.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 720 | 14.9% |
| 2022 | 797 | 16.3% |
| 2023 | 770 | 13.5% |
| 2024 | 754 | 15.4% |
| 2025 | 763 | 14.8% |
What to check before buying a Ford F150
- Lighting & signalling (10.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (6.7% 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.
- Suspension (4.1% 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.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Ford F150?
85.0% of the 3,804 Ford F150 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 15.0% fail rate, across model years 1981–2025.
What does the Ford F150 most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.5% of tests, then brakes (6.7%).
How much does mileage affect F150 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 8.7% for cars in the 0-30k band and 20.6% for 150k+, a 11.9-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,804 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.