2014 Ford Mondeo — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 72,470 MOT tests, the 2014 Ford Mondeo recorded an 81.1% pass rate. That is effectively the same as large family cars of a similar age (18.7% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (9.8%) and tyres (6.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, pins and bushes and tread depth — headlamp aim alone was recorded 4,853 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 22.1% versus 9.3%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 14.3% fail against 19.1% for diesel, a 4.8-point gap across 72,343 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 29.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 16.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 9.8% | 7,119 |
| 2 | Tyres | 6.9% | 4,983 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.8% | 3,474 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.1% | 2,969 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.2% | 2,294 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.6% | 1,887 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 4,853 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 2,507 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 2,504 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 2,061 |
| 5 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 1,936 |
| 6 | Joints | 1,450 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 29.4% | 21,280 |
| 2 | Brakes | 23.7% | 17,166 |
| 3 | Suspension | 21.5% | 15,579 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 9.1% | 6,591 |
| 5 | Other defects | 8.6% | 6,245 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.4% | 3,203 |
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 | 924 | 9.3% |
| 30-60k | 8,451 | 12.9% |
| 60-90k | 18,757 | 17.2% |
| 90-120k | 19,530 | 20.1% |
| 120-150k | 12,839 | 21.4% |
| 150k+ | 11,937 | 22.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 69,777 | 19.1% |
| Petrol | 2,566 | 14.3% |
| Hybrid | 127 | 12.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 14,591 | 16.5% |
| 2022 | 14,783 | 17.6% |
| 2023 | 14,821 | 19.1% |
| 2024 | 14,536 | 20.6% |
| 2025 | 13,739 | 21.0% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Mondeo
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 9.8% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (9.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (6.9% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Brakes (4.8% 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 2014 Ford Mondeos pass their MOT?
81.1% of the 72,470 2014 Ford Mondeo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 18.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Ford Mondeo?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 9.8% of tests, followed by tyres (6.9%).
Does the 2014 Mondeo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.3% in the 0-30k band to 22.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 72,470 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.