1998 Ford Ka — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1998 Ford Ka passed 69.8% of its 816 recorded MOT tests. Against city cars of a similar age (27.0% fail rate), the 1998 Ka comes out 3.2pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, brakes and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (16.1%) and brakes (13.4%) 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, prescribed areas and wipers — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 139 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 41.3% versus 23.1%.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 43.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 33.1% in 2021 to 27.6% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 16.1% | 131 |
| 2 | Brakes | 13.4% | 109 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 13.1% | 107 |
| 4 | Visibility | 8.5% | 69 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.3% | 68 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 6.3% | 51 |
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 | 139 |
| 2 | Prescribed areas | 61 |
| 3 | Wipers | 57 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 55 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 54 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 52 |
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 | 43.4% | 354 |
| 2 | Brakes | 31.1% | 254 |
| 3 | Tyres | 26.7% | 218 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 17.9% | 146 |
| 5 | Other defects | 15.1% | 123 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 13.0% | 106 |
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 | 173 | 23.1% |
| 30-60k | 393 | 31.0% |
| 60-90k | 197 | 33.0% |
| 90-120k | 46 | 41.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 284 | 33.1% |
| 2022 | 206 | 30.1% |
| 2023 | 144 | 26.4% |
| 2024 | 106 | 29.3% |
| 2025 | 76 | 27.6% |
What to check before buying a 1998 Ka
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 16.1% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (16.1% 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.
- Brakes (13.4% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (13.1% 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 1998 Ford Kas pass their MOT?
69.8% of the 816 1998 Ford Ka MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 30.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1998 Ford Ka?
Suspension, recorded in 16.1% of tests, followed by brakes (13.4%).
Does the 1998 Ka get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 23.1% in the 0-30k band to 41.3% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 816 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.