1987 Ford Fiesta — MOT failures & pass rate
1,120 MOT tests on the 1987 Ford Fiesta are in this dataset, and 83.8% of them passed. Against superminis of a similar age (20.4% fail rate), the 1987 Fiesta comes out 4.3pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (8.3%) and brakes (7.2%) 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 headlamp aim — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 75 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1987 Fiesta fails 18.0% of the time in the 0-30k band and 15.4% at 90-120k, a spread of only 2.6 points.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 15.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 15.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 17.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.3% | 93 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.2% | 81 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.6% | 63 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 4.6% | 52 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.3% | 48 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.3% | 37 |
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 | 75 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 62 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 62 |
| 4 | Service brake imbalance | 43 |
| 5 | Non catalyst emissions | 39 |
| 6 | Individual direction indicators | 26 |
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 | 15.5% | 174 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.3% | 138 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 9.3% | 104 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.9% | 100 |
| 5 | Tyres | 7.0% | 78 |
| 6 | Other defects | 4.0% | 45 |
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 | 289 | 18.0% |
| 30-60k | 346 | 13.3% |
| 60-90k | 359 | 17.8% |
| 90-120k | 117 | 15.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 217 | 15.2% |
| 2022 | 234 | 14.5% |
| 2023 | 228 | 16.2% |
| 2024 | 220 | 17.3% |
| 2025 | 221 | 17.6% |
What to check before buying a 1987 Fiesta
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 8.3% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (8.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.2% 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 (5.6% 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
How many 1987 Ford Fiestas pass their MOT?
83.8% of the 1,120 1987 Ford Fiesta MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1987 Ford Fiesta?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.3% of tests, followed by brakes (7.2%).
Does the 1987 Fiesta get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 18.0% in the 0-30k band to 15.4% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,120 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.