2015 Ford Fiesta — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2015 Ford Fiesta passed 81.1% of its 775,759 recorded MOT tests. That is 1.4 percentage points worse than superminis of a similar age, which fail at 17.5%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (11.6%) and suspension (8.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are stop lamp, coil spring and headlamp aim — stop lamp alone was recorded 55,035 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 27.5% versus 10.6%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 5.0pp more often than petrol ones (23.3% vs 18.3%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 26.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 16.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 11.6% | 90,125 |
| 2 | Suspension | 8.7% | 67,401 |
| 3 | Tyres | 6.6% | 50,885 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.8% | 21,364 |
| 5 | Brakes | 2.5% | 19,269 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.3% | 18,135 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stop lamp | 55,035 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 34,556 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 29,053 |
| 4 | Ball joint | 24,148 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 21,925 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 18,269 |
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 | 26.2% | 203,087 |
| 2 | Suspension | 19.2% | 148,976 |
| 3 | Brakes | 14.1% | 109,328 |
| 4 | Other defects | 8.3% | 64,597 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.0% | 23,134 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.5% | 19,753 |
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 | 117,280 | 10.6% |
| 30-60k | 354,259 | 17.3% |
| 60-90k | 220,429 | 23.1% |
| 90-120k | 63,630 | 26.2% |
| 120-150k | 14,042 | 27.2% |
| 150k+ | 5,104 | 27.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 681,252 | 18.3% |
| Diesel | 94,507 | 23.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 155,322 | 16.8% |
| 2022 | 155,410 | 17.6% |
| 2023 | 155,270 | 18.5% |
| 2024 | 154,823 | 20.0% |
| 2025 | 154,934 | 21.6% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Fiesta
On a 2015 Fiesta, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 11.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (11.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (8.7% 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 (6.6% 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 2015 Ford Fiestas pass their MOT?
81.1% of the 775,759 2015 Ford Fiesta MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 18.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Ford Fiesta?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.6% of tests, followed by suspension (8.7%).
Does the 2015 Fiesta get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.6% in the 0-30k band to 27.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 775,759 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.