Ford Ka: brakes MOT failures
Brakes was recorded as a failure area in 6.0% of Ford Ka MOT tests — 69,595 tests out of 1,161,860. It shows up most on 1998 and 1999 cars.
Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair cost: £100–£350 per axle (rough UK ballpark, not a quote).
Brakes failures by year
| Model year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 421 | 10.7% |
| 1998 | 816 | 13.4% |
| 1999 | 1,339 | 14.0% |
| 2000 | 2,016 | 9.4% |
| 2001 | 4,499 | 8.5% |
| 2002 | 8,867 | 8.4% |
| 2003 | 14,348 | 9.2% |
| 2004 | 19,279 | 9.4% |
| 2005 | 22,547 | 7.4% |
| 2006 | 27,460 | 5.5% |
| 2007 | 37,531 | 5.5% |
| 2009 | 118,660 | 11.5% |
| 2010 | 121,899 | 10.6% |
| 2011 | 101,667 | 6.3% |
| 2012 | 106,431 | 5.0% |
| 2013 | 113,514 | 4.7% |
| 2014 | 110,736 | 4.3% |
| 2015 | 79,685 | 4.1% |
| 2016 | 48,756 | 3.7% |
| 2017 | 72,332 | 2.1% |
| 2018 | 59,877 | 2.0% |
| 2019 | 42,849 | 1.6% |
Methodology & source. 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.