2011 Ford Fusion — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2011 Ford Fusion passed 82.9% of its 15,411 recorded MOT tests. That is 6.8 percentage points better than superminis of a similar age, which fail at 23.9%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 13.7% of all tests — 7.7 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are stop lamp, rigid brake pipes and individual direction indicators — stop lamp alone was recorded 788 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 29.8% versus 8.4%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.1pp more often than petrol ones (19.8% vs 16.7%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 25.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 14.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 19.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.7% | 2,111 |
| 2 | Brakes | 6.0% | 921 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.0% | 777 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.8% | 591 |
| 5 | Tyres | 3.6% | 548 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.9% | 440 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stop lamp | 788 |
| 2 | Rigid brake pipes | 752 |
| 3 | Individual direction indicators | 529 |
| 4 | Wipers | 519 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 481 |
| 6 | Rear fog lamp | 479 |
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 | 25.7% | 3,955 |
| 2 | Brakes | 25.3% | 3,900 |
| 3 | Suspension | 13.1% | 2,015 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 11.3% | 1,743 |
| 5 | Other defects | 8.8% | 1,362 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 5.7% | 875 |
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 | 1,285 | 8.4% |
| 30-60k | 5,637 | 13.0% |
| 60-90k | 5,283 | 18.9% |
| 90-120k | 2,352 | 23.4% |
| 120-150k | 636 | 28.3% |
| 150k+ | 215 | 29.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 13,646 | 16.7% |
| Diesel | 1,765 | 19.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,132 | 14.3% |
| 2022 | 3,119 | 15.9% |
| 2023 | 3,112 | 17.4% |
| 2024 | 3,065 | 18.7% |
| 2025 | 2,983 | 19.3% |
What to check before buying a 2011 Fusion
On a 2011 Fusion, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 13.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (13.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (6.0% 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.
- Suspension (5.0% 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.
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 2011 Ford Fusions pass their MOT?
82.9% of the 15,411 2011 Ford Fusion MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 Ford Fusion?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.7% of tests, followed by brakes (6.0%).
Does the 2011 Fusion get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.4% in the 0-30k band to 29.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 15,411 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.