2005 Ford Mondeo — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 52,768 MOT tests, the 2005 Ford Mondeo recorded a 70.2% pass rate. That is 2.0 percentage points worse than large family cars of a similar age, which fail at 27.8%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (15.9%) and lighting & signalling (13.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are rigid brake pipes, position lamp and coil spring — rigid brake pipes alone was recorded 3,724 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 16.5% in the 0-30k band and 32.9% in the 150k+ band, a 16.4-point spread.
The petrol cars hold up better: 28.1% fail against 31.3% for diesel, a 3.2-point gap across 52,765 tests.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 47.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 15.9% | 8,369 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 13.8% | 7,293 |
| 3 | Brakes | 13.8% | 7,270 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 7.1% | 3,770 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.5% | 3,433 |
| 6 | Tyres | 6.2% | 3,268 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rigid brake pipes | 3,724 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 3,424 |
| 3 | Coil spring | 2,780 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 2,143 |
| 5 | Ball joint dust cover | 2,051 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 1,955 |
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 | 47.0% | 24,796 |
| 2 | Suspension | 37.0% | 19,525 |
| 3 | Tyres | 29.6% | 15,609 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 16.5% | 8,719 |
| 5 | Other defects | 15.6% | 8,248 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 15.0% | 7,921 |
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 | 297 | 16.5% |
| 30-60k | 2,998 | 19.3% |
| 60-90k | 8,914 | 25.6% |
| 90-120k | 14,724 | 30.0% |
| 120-150k | 13,213 | 31.9% |
| 150k+ | 12,591 | 32.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 27,312 | 31.3% |
| Petrol | 25,453 | 28.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 16,486 | 30.5% |
| 2022 | 12,728 | 29.4% |
| 2023 | 10,021 | 29.6% |
| 2024 | 7,649 | 29.3% |
| 2025 | 5,884 | 29.3% |
What to check before buying a 2005 Mondeo
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 15.9% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (15.9% 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 (13.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (13.8% 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 2005 Ford Mondeos pass their MOT?
70.2% of the 52,768 2005 Ford Mondeo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 29.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2005 Ford Mondeo?
Suspension, recorded in 15.9% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (13.8%).
Does the 2005 Mondeo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 16.5% in the 0-30k band to 32.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 52,768 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.