2006 Ford Mondeo — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 61,080 MOT tests, the 2006 Ford Mondeo recorded a 70.9% pass rate. Against large family cars of a similar age (27.4% fail rate), the 2006 Mondeo comes out 1.7pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (15.6%) and lighting & signalling (14.5%) 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 4,852 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 32.5% versus 12.3%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.1pp more often than petrol ones (30.5% vs 27.4%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 46.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 29.8% 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 | 15.6% | 9,535 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 14.5% | 8,847 |
| 3 | Brakes | 13.0% | 7,947 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 7.0% | 4,279 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.5% | 3,947 |
| 6 | Tyres | 6.3% | 3,826 |
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 | 4,852 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 4,188 |
| 3 | Coil spring | 3,191 |
| 4 | Ball joint dust cover | 2,615 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 2,456 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 2,214 |
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 | 46.9% | 28,637 |
| 2 | Suspension | 35.3% | 21,552 |
| 3 | Tyres | 28.9% | 17,643 |
| 4 | Other defects | 17.5% | 10,686 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 13.8% | 8,428 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 13.6% | 8,306 |
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 | 300 | 12.3% |
| 30-60k | 3,275 | 17.4% |
| 60-90k | 10,209 | 25.0% |
| 90-120k | 17,050 | 29.2% |
| 120-150k | 15,814 | 31.1% |
| 150k+ | 14,392 | 32.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 32,516 | 30.5% |
| Petrol | 28,564 | 27.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 18,549 | 29.8% |
| 2022 | 14,671 | 29.2% |
| 2023 | 11,670 | 28.6% |
| 2024 | 9,142 | 28.5% |
| 2025 | 7,048 | 28.1% |
What to check before buying a 2006 Mondeo
On a 2006 Mondeo, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 15.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (15.6% 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 (14.5% 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 2006 Ford Mondeos pass their MOT?
70.9% of the 61,080 2006 Ford Mondeo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 29.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2006 Ford Mondeo?
Suspension, recorded in 15.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (14.5%).
Does the 2006 Mondeo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.3% in the 0-30k band to 32.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 61,080 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.