Ford Maverick MOT pass rate & common failures
3,239 MOT tests on the Ford Maverick (1988–2025) give it a 69.5% pass rate. That is 4.2 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 26.4%. Its most common failure areas are suspension, lighting & signalling and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (17.8%) and lighting & signalling (15.0%) 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, integral vehicle structure condition and flexible brake hoses — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 546 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 11.9% in the 0-30k band and 35.2% in the 150k+ band, a 23.3-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, petrol examples fail 4.9pp more often than diesel ones (32.1% vs 27.2%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 41.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 31.8% in 2021 to 30.0% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Maverick model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 54 | 70.4% | 29.6% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 1994 | 205 | 76.1% | 23.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1995 | 164 | 70.1% | 29.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1996 | 150 | 71.3% | 28.7% | Suspension |
| 1997 | 384 | 73.2% | 26.8% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 1998 | 159 | 74.2% | 25.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 325 | 65.2% | 34.8% | Suspension |
| 2002 | 837 | 66.2% | 33.8% | Suspension |
| 2003 | 662 | 68.4% | 31.6% | Suspension |
| 2004 | 204 | 69.6% | 30.4% | Suspension |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 17.8% | 575 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 15.0% | 486 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 12.5% | 404 |
| 4 | Brakes | 11.6% | 377 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.5% | 177 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 5.3% | 170 |
| 7 | Seat belts & restraints | 4.8% | 154 |
| 8 | Steering | 4.5% | 146 |
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 | 546 |
| 2 | Integral vehicle structure condition | 208 |
| 3 | Flexible brake hoses | 204 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 198 |
| 5 | Prescribed areas | 195 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 174 |
| 7 | Exhaust system | 157 |
| 8 | Chassis condition | 143 |
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 | 41.9% | 1,358 |
| 2 | Brakes | 34.4% | 1,115 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 26.4% | 856 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 25.4% | 824 |
| 5 | Other defects | 20.8% | 672 |
| 6 | Tyres | 20.6% | 668 |
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 | 67 | 11.9% |
| 30-60k | 236 | 22.5% |
| 60-90k | 736 | 29.2% |
| 90-120k | 974 | 31.8% |
| 120-150k | 734 | 31.5% |
| 150k+ | 486 | 35.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 2,260 | 32.1% |
| Diesel | 963 | 27.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,091 | 31.8% |
| 2022 | 790 | 30.8% |
| 2023 | 601 | 30.1% |
| 2024 | 417 | 27.8% |
| 2025 | 340 | 30.0% |
What to check before buying a Ford Maverick
- Suspension (17.8% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (15.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (12.5% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Ford Maverick?
69.5% of the 3,239 Ford Maverick MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 30.5% fail rate, across model years 1988–2025.
What does the Ford Maverick most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 17.8% of tests, then lighting & signalling (15.0%).
How much does mileage affect Maverick MOT results?
Fail rates run at 11.9% for cars in the 0-30k band and 35.2% for 150k+, a 23.3-point difference.
Is the diesel or petrol Maverick more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the diesel fails 27.2% of the time against 32.1% for the petrol. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,239 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.