2005 Ford Freda — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2005 Ford Freda passed 63.5% of its 523 recorded MOT tests. That is 8.9 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 27.6%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (23.7%) and lighting & signalling (21.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, integral vehicle structure condition and prescribed areas — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 163 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2005 Freda fails 37.3% of the time in the 90-120k band and 38.1% at 150k+, a spread of only 0.8 points.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 32.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 36.0% in 2021 to 31.5% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 23.7% | 124 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 21.8% | 114 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 15.3% | 80 |
| 4 | Brakes | 12.6% | 66 |
| 5 | Seat belts & restraints | 5.9% | 31 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.0% | 26 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 163 |
| 2 | Integral vehicle structure condition | 70 |
| 3 | Prescribed areas | 54 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 52 |
| 5 | Rear fog lamp | 46 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 45 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 32.5% | 170 |
| 2 | Suspension | 30.2% | 158 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 28.1% | 147 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 23.5% | 123 |
| 5 | Tyres | 17.6% | 92 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 14.9% | 78 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 90-120k | 142 | 37.3% |
| 120-150k | 104 | 35.6% |
| 150k+ | 249 | 38.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 136 | 36.0% |
| 2022 | 130 | 37.7% |
| 2023 | 122 | 36.1% |
| 2024 | 81 | 39.5% |
| 2025 | 54 | 31.5% |
What to check before buying a 2005 Freda
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 23.7% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (23.7% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (21.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (15.3% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
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 2005 Ford Fredas pass their MOT?
63.5% of the 523 2005 Ford Freda MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 36.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2005 Ford Freda?
Suspension, recorded in 23.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (21.8%).
Does the 2005 Freda get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 37.3% in the 90-120k band to 38.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 523 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.