Ford Granada MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 42 model years and 4,214 tests, the Ford Granada passes its MOT 84.2% of the time. Against all cars of a similar age (21.1% fail rate), the Granada comes out 5.2pp better. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (8.0%) and suspension (6.4%) 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, headlamp aim and headlamp — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 243 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 15.4% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 22.1% once past 150k.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 21.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 17.3% in 2021 to 15.0% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Granada model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 54 | 83.3% | 16.7% | Brakes |
| 1981 | 69 | 84.1% | 15.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1982 | 219 | 89.0% | 11.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1983 | 442 | 89.8% | 10.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1984 | 597 | 87.1% | 12.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1985 | 580 | 90.5% | 9.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1986 | 95 | 77.9% | 22.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1987 | 109 | 83.5% | 16.5% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 1988 | 151 | 84.8% | 15.2% | Brakes |
| 1989 | 170 | 79.4% | 20.6% | Suspension |
| 1990 | 264 | 79.2% | 20.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1991 | 255 | 81.6% | 18.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1992 | 261 | 83.9% | 16.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1993 | 378 | 74.9% | 25.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1994 | 466 | 80.9% | 19.1% | Suspension |
| 1995 | 59 | 74.6% | 25.4% | Suspension |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.0% | 337 |
| 2 | Suspension | 6.4% | 268 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.3% | 224 |
| 4 | Brakes | 5.3% | 224 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.9% | 166 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.8% | 162 |
| 7 | Seat belts & restraints | 2.1% | 89 |
| 8 | Steering | 2.1% | 87 |
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 | 243 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 141 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 132 |
| 4 | Prescribed areas | 128 |
| 5 | Washers | 105 |
| 6 | Wipers | 101 |
| 7 | Catalyst emissions | 95 |
| 8 | Pins and bushes | 87 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 21.7% | 913 |
| 2 | Brakes | 20.5% | 862 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 18.8% | 792 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 15.8% | 666 |
| 5 | Tyres | 12.2% | 515 |
| 6 | Other defects | 11.5% | 486 |
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 | 739 | 15.4% |
| 30-60k | 809 | 10.8% |
| 60-90k | 1,214 | 15.8% |
| 90-120k | 741 | 16.9% |
| 120-150k | 408 | 20.3% |
| 150k+ | 298 | 22.1% |
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 4,147 | 15.9% |
| Diesel | 67 | 11.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,092 | 17.3% |
| 2022 | 988 | 16.6% |
| 2023 | 853 | 14.9% |
| 2024 | 695 | 14.2% |
| 2025 | 586 | 15.0% |
What to check before buying a Ford Granada
- Lighting & signalling (8.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (6.4% 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.
- Body, structure & corrosion (5.3% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Ford Granada?
84.2% of the 4,214 Ford Granada MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 15.8% fail rate, across model years 1980–2021.
What does the Ford Granada most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.0% of tests, then suspension (6.4%).
How much does mileage affect Granada MOT results?
Fail rates run at 15.4% for cars in the 0-30k band and 22.1% for 150k+, a 6.7-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,214 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.