2013 Ford Trail — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2013 Ford Trail passed 89.6% of its 673 recorded MOT tests. Against all cars of a similar age (20.1% fail rate), the 2013 Trail comes out 9.7pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 9.4% of all tests — 5.4 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, wipers and service brake performance — position lamp alone was recorded 34 times.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 18.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 3.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 9.4% | 63 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.0% | 27 |
| 3 | Visibility | 2.7% | 18 |
| 4 | Suspension | 1.8% | 12 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.9% | 6 |
| 6 | Tyres | 0.9% | 6 |
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 | 34 |
| 2 | Wipers | 20 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 12 |
| 4 | Stop lamp | 12 |
| 5 | Outline marker lamp | 12 |
| 6 | Brake discs | 10 |
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 | 18.0% | 121 |
| 2 | Suspension | 10.3% | 69 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 9.4% | 63 |
| 4 | Tyres | 7.9% | 53 |
| 5 | Steering | 5.5% | 37 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.6% | 11 |
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 | 415 | 9.9% |
| 30-60k | 241 | 10.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 128 | 3.9% |
| 2022 | 137 | 12.4% |
| 2023 | 152 | 12.5% |
| 2024 | 123 | 10.6% |
| 2025 | 133 | 12.0% |
What to check before buying a 2013 Trail
On a 2013 Trail, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 9.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (9.4% 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 (2.7% 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
How many 2013 Ford Trails pass their MOT?
89.6% of the 673 2013 Ford Trail MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2013 Ford Trail?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 9.4% of tests, followed by brakes (4.0%).
Does the 2013 Trail get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.9% in the 0-30k band to 10.0% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 673 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.