1983 Ford Granada — MOT failures & pass rate
442 MOT tests on the 1983 Ford Granada are in this dataset, and 89.8% of them passed. That is 8.9 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 19.1%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 9.0% of tests against 3.6% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, headlamp and position lamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 19 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1983 Granada fails 11.4% of the time in the 0-30k band and 9.8% at 90-120k, a spread of only 1.5 points.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 16.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 8.3% in 2021 to 2.4% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 9.0% | 40 |
| 2 | Brakes | 3.6% | 16 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 3.4% | 15 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.7% | 12 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.3% | 10 |
| 6 | Suspension | 2.3% | 10 |
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 | 19 |
| 2 | Headlamp | 18 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 14 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 14 |
| 5 | Non catalyst emissions | 11 |
| 6 | Washers | 10 |
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 | 16.7% | 74 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 12.4% | 55 |
| 3 | Brakes | 10.2% | 45 |
| 4 | Tyres | 8.4% | 37 |
| 5 | Steering | 7.0% | 31 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.6% | 29 |
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 | 132 | 11.4% |
| 30-60k | 108 | 12.0% |
| 60-90k | 140 | 7.9% |
| 90-120k | 61 | 9.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 121 | 8.3% |
| 2022 | 114 | 9.7% |
| 2023 | 111 | 17.1% |
| 2024 | 54 | 7.4% |
| 2025 | 42 | 2.4% |
What to check before buying a 1983 Granada
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 9.0% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (9.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (3.6% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (3.4% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
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 1983 Ford Granadas pass their MOT?
89.8% of the 442 1983 Ford Granada MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1983 Ford Granada?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 9.0% of tests, followed by brakes (3.6%).
Does the 1983 Granada get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.4% in the 0-30k band to 9.8% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 442 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.