Ford Trail MOT pass rate & common failures
1,847 MOT tests on the Ford Trail (1990–2022) give it an 89.2% pass rate. That is 9.2 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 20.0%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 9.8% of all tests — 5.8 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, outline marker lamp and wipers — position lamp alone was recorded 84 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 8.9% in the 0-30k band and 22.8% in the 60-90k band, a 13.9-point spread — more than double.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 19.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 6.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Trail model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 64 | 87.5% | 12.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 464 | 87.5% | 12.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 673 | 89.6% | 10.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 597 | 90.6% | 9.4% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 9.8% | 180 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.0% | 73 |
| 3 | Visibility | 2.5% | 47 |
| 4 | Suspension | 1.7% | 31 |
| 5 | Tyres | 1.4% | 25 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.9% | 16 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.6% | 11 |
| 8 | Steering | 0.5% | 10 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 84 |
| 2 | Outline marker lamp | 55 |
| 3 | Wipers | 51 |
| 4 | Stop lamp | 39 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 36 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 28 |
| 7 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 26 |
| 8 | Rbt (sp) | 23 |
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 | 19.1% | 353 |
| 2 | Suspension | 10.2% | 189 |
| 3 | Tyres | 8.8% | 163 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 6.8% | 125 |
| 5 | Steering | 6.5% | 120 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.6% | 49 |
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 | 1,138 | 8.9% |
| 30-60k | 633 | 12.5% |
| 60-90k | 57 | 22.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 361 | 6.7% |
| 2022 | 368 | 9.8% |
| 2023 | 399 | 13.5% |
| 2024 | 352 | 11.7% |
| 2025 | 367 | 12.0% |
What to check before buying a Ford Trail
- 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.
- Brakes (4.0% 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.
- Visibility (2.5% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Ford Trail?
89.2% of the 1,847 Ford Trail MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 10.8% fail rate, across model years 1990–2022.
What does the Ford Trail most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 9.8% of tests, then brakes (4.0%).
How much does mileage affect Trail MOT results?
Fail rates run at 8.9% for cars in the 0-30k band and 22.8% for 60-90k, a 13.9-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,847 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.