1997 Ford Maverick — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1997 Ford Maverick passed 73.2% of its 384 recorded MOT tests. Against all cars of a similar age (25.2% fail rate), the 1997 Maverick comes out 1.6pp worse. Failures cluster in body, structure & corrosion, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — body, structure & corrosion (13.5%) and lighting & signalling (13.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are service brake performance, integral vehicle structure condition and component mounting prescribed areas — service brake performance alone was recorded 35 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1997 Maverick fails 22.2% of the time in the 60-90k band and 23.8% at 150k+, a spread of only 1.5 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 42.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 25.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 29.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Body, structure & corrosion | 13.5% | 52 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 13.5% | 52 |
| 3 | Brakes | 13.0% | 50 |
| 4 | Suspension | 10.2% | 39 |
| 5 | Visibility | 6.0% | 23 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 5.0% | 19 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Service brake performance | 35 |
| 2 | Integral vehicle structure condition | 26 |
| 3 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 24 |
| 4 | Prescribed areas | 23 |
| 5 | Chassis condition | 20 |
| 6 | Joints | 17 |
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 | 42.2% | 162 |
| 2 | Brakes | 36.2% | 139 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 26.8% | 103 |
| 4 | Tyres | 17.4% | 67 |
| 5 | Other defects | 15.9% | 61 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 12.5% | 48 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 60-90k | 63 | 22.2% |
| 90-120k | 98 | 34.7% |
| 120-150k | 112 | 28.6% |
| 150k+ | 80 | 23.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 342 | 26.6% |
| Petrol | 42 | 28.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 118 | 25.4% |
| 2022 | 90 | 22.2% |
| 2023 | 83 | 33.7% |
| 2024 | 49 | 24.5% |
| 2025 | 44 | 29.5% |
What to check before buying a 1997 Maverick
On a 1997 Maverick, body, structure & corrosion is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 13.5% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Body, structure & corrosion (13.5% 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+.
- Lighting & signalling (13.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (13.0% 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 1997 Ford Mavericks pass their MOT?
73.2% of the 384 1997 Ford Maverick MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 26.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1997 Ford Maverick?
Body, structure & corrosion, recorded in 13.5% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (13.5%).
Does the 1997 Maverick get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 22.2% in the 60-90k band to 23.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 384 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.