2015 Ford Focus — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 437,577 MOT tests, the 2015 Ford Focus recorded an 85.9% pass rate. Against small family cars of a similar age (15.6% fail rate), the 2015 Focus comes out 1.5pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (7.4%) and tyres (7.1%) 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 tyre pressure monitoring system — headlamp aim alone was recorded 13,174 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 20.7% versus 6.9%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.3pp more often than petrol ones (15.3% vs 13.0%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 26.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 10.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 17.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 7.4% | 32,305 |
| 2 | Tyres | 7.1% | 31,297 |
| 3 | Brakes | 3.1% | 13,539 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.3% | 10,078 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 2.3% | 9,967 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.6% | 7,156 |
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 | 13,174 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 13,166 |
| 3 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 10,019 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 7,578 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 7,531 |
| 6 | Washers | 7,000 |
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 | 26.4% | 115,584 |
| 2 | Brakes | 13.0% | 56,727 |
| 3 | Suspension | 9.2% | 40,186 |
| 4 | Other defects | 8.7% | 37,913 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.8% | 12,184 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.8% | 7,944 |
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 | 33,329 | 6.9% |
| 30-60k | 160,149 | 10.7% |
| 60-90k | 154,940 | 15.9% |
| 90-120k | 64,260 | 19.2% |
| 120-150k | 17,799 | 20.4% |
| 150k+ | 6,848 | 20.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 236,386 | 13.0% |
| Diesel | 201,176 | 15.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 86,049 | 10.8% |
| 2022 | 86,581 | 12.0% |
| 2023 | 87,558 | 13.7% |
| 2024 | 88,451 | 15.8% |
| 2025 | 88,938 | 17.9% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Focus
On a 2015 Focus, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 7.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (7.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (7.1% 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.
- Brakes (3.1% 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.
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 Focuss pass their MOT?
85.9% of the 437,577 2015 Ford Focus MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Ford Focus?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.4% of tests, followed by tyres (7.1%).
Does the 2015 Focus get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.9% in the 0-30k band to 20.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 437,577 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.