2019 Ford Grand C-Max — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2019 Ford Grand C-Max passed 85.4% of its 5,277 recorded MOT tests. That is 3.2 percentage points worse than MPVs of a similar age, which fail at 11.4%. Failures cluster in visibility, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (6.4%) and tyres (5.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, brake pads and catalyst emissions — wipers alone was recorded 304 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 12.6% in the 0-30k band and 23.5% in the 120-150k band, a 10.9-point spread.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 14.5% of the time against 14.9% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 25.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 6.4% | 337 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.7% | 301 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 4.2% | 222 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.5% | 183 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.0% | 157 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.7% | 39 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 304 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 207 |
| 3 | Catalyst emissions | 108 |
| 4 | Stop lamp | 95 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 94 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 93 |
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 | 25.4% | 1,343 |
| 2 | Brakes | 15.1% | 799 |
| 3 | Other defects | 13.0% | 684 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.4% | 179 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.5% | 131 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.6% | 83 |
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 | 2,796 | 12.6% |
| 30-60k | 1,963 | 16.5% |
| 60-90k | 395 | 19.0% |
| 90-120k | 75 | 10.7% |
| 120-150k | 34 | 23.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 4,208 | 14.5% |
| Diesel | 1,069 | 14.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 120 | 15.8% |
| 2022 | 1,348 | 12.0% |
| 2023 | 1,335 | 14.8% |
| 2024 | 1,251 | 15.3% |
| 2025 | 1,223 | 16.4% |
What to check before buying a 2019 Grand C-Max
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: visibility accounted for 6.4% of tests. Start there.
- Visibility (6.4% 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 (5.7% 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 (4.2% 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 2019 Ford Grand C-Maxs pass their MOT?
85.4% of the 5,277 2019 Ford Grand C-Max MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 Ford Grand C-Max?
Visibility, recorded in 6.4% of tests, followed by tyres (5.7%).
Does the 2019 Grand C-Max get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.6% in the 0-30k band to 23.5% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 5,277 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.