1995 Ford Probe — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1995 Ford Probe passed 71.9% of its 666 recorded MOT tests. That is 3.9 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 24.2%. Failures cluster in brakes, emissions & environmental and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (12.3%) and emissions & environmental (11.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, catalyst emissions and service brake performance — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 100 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 16.2% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 38.3% once past 150k — 2.4× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 38.6% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 12.3% | 82 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 11.6% | 77 |
| 3 | Suspension | 10.5% | 70 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 9.2% | 61 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.7% | 58 |
| 6 | Tyres | 4.3% | 29 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 100 |
| 2 | Catalyst emissions | 90 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 44 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 38 |
| 5 | Rbt (sp) | 34 |
| 6 | Joints | 30 |
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 | 38.6% | 257 |
| 2 | Suspension | 27.8% | 185 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 24.8% | 165 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 20.6% | 137 |
| 5 | Tyres | 20.1% | 134 |
| 6 | Other defects | 11.3% | 75 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 74 | 16.2% |
| 60-90k | 234 | 24.8% |
| 90-120k | 163 | 35.6% |
| 120-150k | 101 | 27.7% |
| 150k+ | 81 | 38.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 151 | 30.5% |
| 2022 | 133 | 27.1% |
| 2023 | 130 | 26.9% |
| 2024 | 126 | 26.2% |
| 2025 | 126 | 29.4% |
What to check before buying a 1995 Probe
On a 1995 Probe, brakes is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 12.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Brakes (12.3% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (11.6% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Suspension (10.5% 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.
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 1995 Ford Probes pass their MOT?
71.9% of the 666 1995 Ford Probe MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 28.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1995 Ford Probe?
Brakes, recorded in 12.3% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (11.6%).
Does the 1995 Probe get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 16.2% in the 30-60k band to 38.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 666 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.