2021 Ford Fiesta — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2021 Ford Fiesta passed 93.5% of its 61,239 recorded MOT tests. Against superminis of a similar age (7.7% fail rate), the 2021 Fiesta comes out 1.1pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (5.5%) and tyres (3.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, tread depth and washers — headlamp aim alone was recorded 4,455 times.
A 120-150k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 10.3% versus 5.1%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 19.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 19.5% in 2021 to 6.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 5.5% | 3,364 |
| 2 | Tyres | 3.8% | 2,320 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.5% | 929 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.1% | 643 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.4% | 263 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.3% | 191 |
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 | 4,455 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 1,006 |
| 3 | Washers | 793 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 429 |
| 5 | Catalyst emissions | 267 |
| 6 | Wipers | 231 |
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 | 19.6% | 12,018 |
| 2 | Brakes | 6.5% | 3,993 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.4% | 2,712 |
| 4 | Road wheels | 2.0% | 1,220 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.2% | 749 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.6% | 371 |
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 | 43,678 | 5.1% |
| 30-60k | 15,925 | 9.7% |
| 60-90k | 1,385 | 14.1% |
| 90-120k | 187 | 10.7% |
| 120-150k | 39 | 10.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 60,773 | 6.6% |
| Hybrid | 392 | 4.9% |
| Diesel | 70 | 10.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 41 | 19.5% |
| 2023 | 2,386 | 3.9% |
| 2024 | 29,491 | 6.6% |
| 2025 | 29,293 | 6.7% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Fiesta
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 5.5% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (5.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (3.8% 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.
- Visibility (1.5% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
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 2021 Ford Fiestas pass their MOT?
93.5% of the 61,239 2021 Ford Fiesta MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 6.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Ford Fiesta?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 5.5% of tests, followed by tyres (3.8%).
Does the 2021 Fiesta get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.1% in the 0-30k band to 10.3% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 61,239 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.