2013 Ford Focus — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2013 Ford Focus passed 77.9% of its 472,710 recorded MOT tests. Against small family cars of a similar age (19.4% fail rate), the 2013 Focus comes out 2.7pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (13.4%) and suspension (10.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, headlamp aim and position lamp — coil spring alone was recorded 38,999 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 13.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 25.8% once past 150k.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.6pp more often than petrol ones (23.5% vs 20.9%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 29.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 21.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 23.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.4% | 63,483 |
| 2 | Suspension | 10.9% | 51,573 |
| 3 | Tyres | 5.7% | 26,983 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.8% | 17,922 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.2% | 15,159 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.7% | 12,933 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 38,999 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 27,502 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 20,071 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 17,710 |
| 5 | Individual direction indicators | 11,400 |
| 6 | Washers | 11,264 |
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 | 29.2% | 138,120 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.8% | 83,937 |
| 3 | Suspension | 17.0% | 80,129 |
| 4 | Other defects | 10.4% | 49,305 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 5.9% | 28,053 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.2% | 15,215 |
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 | 13,035 | 13.0% |
| 30-60k | 104,967 | 18.3% |
| 60-90k | 177,773 | 22.3% |
| 90-120k | 114,014 | 24.5% |
| 120-150k | 43,892 | 25.5% |
| 150k+ | 18,896 | 25.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 255,449 | 20.9% |
| Diesel | 217,261 | 23.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 97,348 | 21.4% |
| 2022 | 96,795 | 21.4% |
| 2023 | 96,229 | 22.4% |
| 2024 | 92,729 | 22.2% |
| 2025 | 89,609 | 23.2% |
What to check before buying a 2013 Focus
On a 2013 Focus, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 13.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (13.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (10.9% 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 (5.7% 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 2013 Ford Focuss pass their MOT?
77.9% of the 472,710 2013 Ford Focus MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 22.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2013 Ford Focus?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.4% of tests, followed by suspension (10.9%).
Does the 2013 Focus get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 13.0% in the 0-30k band to 25.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 472,710 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.