2010 Ford Fiesta — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2010 Ford Fiesta passed 73.8% of its 588,052 recorded MOT tests. Superminis of a similar age fail 25.1% of the time, so this is 1.1pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (15.8%) and suspension (14.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint, stop lamp and position lamp — ball joint alone was recorded 49,373 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 11.0% in the 0-30k band and 31.1% in the 150k+ band, a 20.1-point spread — more than double.
The petrol cars hold up better: 25.2% fail against 28.9% for diesel, a 3.7-point gap across 588,046 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 29.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 25.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 27.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 15.8% | 92,978 |
| 2 | Suspension | 14.0% | 82,043 |
| 3 | Tyres | 7.5% | 44,288 |
| 4 | Brakes | 4.5% | 26,315 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.4% | 25,616 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.3% | 25,072 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball joint | 49,373 |
| 2 | Stop lamp | 34,234 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 31,699 |
| 4 | Coil spring | 22,210 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 21,400 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 20,063 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 29.6% | 173,945 |
| 2 | Suspension | 28.8% | 169,570 |
| 3 | Brakes | 20.1% | 118,325 |
| 4 | Other defects | 15.1% | 88,538 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 10.4% | 61,148 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 8.2% | 48,115 |
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 | 17,002 | 11.0% |
| 30-60k | 104,332 | 19.7% |
| 60-90k | 199,133 | 26.0% |
| 90-120k | 165,897 | 29.3% |
| 120-150k | 72,717 | 30.5% |
| 150k+ | 28,759 | 31.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 431,821 | 25.2% |
| Diesel | 156,225 | 28.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 123,949 | 25.1% |
| 2022 | 121,809 | 25.5% |
| 2023 | 119,282 | 26.2% |
| 2024 | 115,176 | 27.2% |
| 2025 | 107,836 | 27.2% |
What to check before buying a 2010 Fiesta
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 15.8% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (15.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (14.0% 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.
- Tyres (7.5% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
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 2010 Ford Fiestas pass their MOT?
73.8% of the 588,052 2010 Ford Fiesta MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 26.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 Ford Fiesta?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 15.8% of tests, followed by suspension (14.0%).
Does the 2010 Fiesta get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.0% in the 0-30k band to 31.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 588,052 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.