2016 Ford Grand C-Max — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2016 Ford Grand C-Max passed 82.4% of its 39,476 recorded MOT tests. MPVs of a similar age fail 15.3% of the time, so this is 2.3pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (8.3%) and lighting & signalling (7.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, tread depth and wipers — brake pads alone was recorded 1,873 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 10.7% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 20.5% once past 150k.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 16.9% of the time against 17.7% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 31.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 14.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 20.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 8.3% | 3,297 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 7.1% | 2,801 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.9% | 1,946 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.5% | 1,798 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.2% | 857 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.9% | 753 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 1,873 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 1,628 |
| 3 | Wipers | 1,354 |
| 4 | Stop lamp | 1,136 |
| 5 | Joints | 837 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 814 |
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 | 31.7% | 12,521 |
| 2 | Brakes | 20.7% | 8,157 |
| 3 | Other defects | 14.5% | 5,715 |
| 4 | Suspension | 9.5% | 3,747 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.4% | 1,752 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 3.8% | 1,517 |
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 | 3,923 | 10.7% |
| 30-60k | 17,686 | 15.9% |
| 60-90k | 12,687 | 19.9% |
| 90-120k | 3,795 | 23.1% |
| 120-150k | 875 | 21.1% |
| 150k+ | 474 | 20.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 32,912 | 17.7% |
| Petrol | 6,564 | 16.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 7,677 | 14.6% |
| 2022 | 7,866 | 16.2% |
| 2023 | 7,977 | 17.8% |
| 2024 | 7,931 | 18.5% |
| 2025 | 8,025 | 20.5% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Grand C-Max
On a 2016 Grand C-Max, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 8.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (8.3% 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 (7.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (4.9% 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.
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 2016 Ford Grand C-Maxs pass their MOT?
82.4% of the 39,476 2016 Ford Grand C-Max MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Ford Grand C-Max?
Tyres, recorded in 8.3% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (7.1%).
Does the 2016 Grand C-Max get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.7% in the 0-30k band to 20.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 39,476 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.