2006 Ford Mondeo — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 61,070 MOT tests analysed for the 2006 Ford Mondeo, the most common recorded failure areas were suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes. Its pass rate of 70.9% was below the average for large family cars of a similar age (72.8%). Higher-mileage examples failed more often — 32.5% in the 150k+ group versus 12.3% in the 0-30k group.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 15.6% | 9,532 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 14.5% | 8,845 |
| 3 | Brakes | 13.0% | 7,945 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 7.0% | 4,279 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.5% | 3,946 |
| 6 | Tyres | 6.3% | 3,825 |
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 | 2,613 |
| 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% | 28,635 |
| 2 | Suspension | 35.3% | 21,549 |
| 3 | Tyres | 28.9% | 17,638 |
| 4 | Other defects | 17.5% | 10,680 |
| 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 | 17,043 | 29.2% |
| 120-150k | 15,814 | 31.1% |
| 150k+ | 14,389 | 32.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 32,509 | 30.5% |
| Petrol | 28,561 | 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 | 9,139 | 28.6% |
| 2025 | 7,041 | 28.1% |
What to check before buying a 2006 Mondeo
Before buying a 2006 Ford Mondeo, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Suspension accounted for 15.6% of tests for this year.
- 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 61,070 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 61,070 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.