2020 Ford Freedom — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 522 MOT tests, the 2020 Ford Freedom recorded an 85.8% pass rate. Against all cars of a similar age (9.3% fail rate), the 2020 Freedom comes out 4.9pp worse. Failures cluster in visibility, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (5.0%) and tyres (4.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, malfunction indicator lamp and headlamp aim — wipers alone was recorded 19 times.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 19.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 13.4% of tests failed in 2023 against 15.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 5.0% | 26 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.6% | 24 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 4.4% | 23 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 3.5% | 18 |
| 5 | Seat belts & restraints | 2.7% | 14 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.3% | 12 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 19 |
| 2 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 16 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 13 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 13 |
| 5 | Washers | 10 |
| 6 | Exhaust system | 8 |
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 | 19.5% | 102 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.0% | 52 |
| 3 | Other defects | 8.1% | 42 |
| 4 | Seat belts & restraints | 4.2% | 22 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.1% | 11 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.9% | 10 |
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 | 342 | 11.7% |
| 30-60k | 141 | 18.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 172 | 13.4% |
| 2024 | 162 | 14.8% |
| 2025 | 173 | 15.6% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Freedom
On a 2020 Freedom, visibility is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.0% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Visibility (5.0% 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.
- Tyres (4.6% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (4.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£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 2020 Ford Freedoms pass their MOT?
85.8% of the 522 2020 Ford Freedom MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Ford Freedom?
Visibility, recorded in 5.0% of tests, followed by tyres (4.6%).
Does the 2020 Freedom get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.7% in the 0-30k band to 18.4% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 522 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.