2001 Ford Mondeo — MOT failures & pass rate
13,517 MOT tests on the 2001 Ford Mondeo are in this dataset, and 70.6% of them passed. Large family cars of a similar age fail 28.1% of the time, so this is 1.2pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, brakes and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (15.7%) and brakes (14.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are rbt (sp), catalyst emissions and rigid brake pipes — rbt (sp) alone was recorded 902 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 19.5% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 33.2% once past 150k.
The petrol cars hold up better: 29.1% fail against 31.6% for diesel, a 2.5-point gap across 13,512 tests.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 42.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 30.5% in 2021 to 28.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 15.7% | 2,119 |
| 2 | Brakes | 14.6% | 1,968 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 10.4% | 1,411 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.2% | 833 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.9% | 798 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.1% | 691 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rbt (sp) | 902 |
| 2 | Catalyst emissions | 816 |
| 3 | Rigid brake pipes | 700 |
| 4 | Coil spring | 612 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 573 |
| 6 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 526 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 42.9% | 5,797 |
| 2 | Suspension | 37.3% | 5,038 |
| 3 | Tyres | 27.0% | 3,644 |
| 4 | Other defects | 17.8% | 2,406 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 16.1% | 2,179 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 14.7% | 1,990 |
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 | 113 | 19.5% |
| 30-60k | 1,010 | 20.8% |
| 60-90k | 2,896 | 27.6% |
| 90-120k | 4,116 | 29.8% |
| 120-150k | 2,933 | 30.5% |
| 150k+ | 2,434 | 33.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 12,270 | 29.1% |
| Diesel | 1,242 | 31.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,327 | 30.5% |
| 2022 | 3,306 | 28.7% |
| 2023 | 2,530 | 29.0% |
| 2024 | 1,923 | 29.2% |
| 2025 | 1,431 | 28.1% |
What to check before buying a 2001 Mondeo
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 15.7% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (15.7% 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 (14.6% 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 (10.4% 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 2001 Ford Mondeos pass their MOT?
70.6% of the 13,517 2001 Ford Mondeo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 29.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2001 Ford Mondeo?
Suspension, recorded in 15.7% of tests, followed by brakes (14.6%).
Does the 2001 Mondeo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 19.5% in the 0-30k band to 33.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 13,517 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.