MOT performance
Ford Fiesta diesel: MOT pass rate and common failures
Of 373,877 MOT tests on diesel Ford Fiestas in 2023–2024 (on average 11.2 years old at test, median 99,252 miles), 56.6% passed first time, against 67.5% of 2,468,915 petrol Ford Fiesta tests. Allowing for age, mileage and fuel, diesel Ford Fiestas failed 24% more often than comparable cars — 1.24× against 1.14× for the Ford Fiesta as a whole.
373,877 MOT tests on 193,514 vehicles, 2023–2024 · Source: DVSA (Open Government Licence) · Analysis: 73 Auto
Check a specific car's MOT history and running costsAt a glance
| Figure | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| First-time pass rate | 56.6% | ±0.2 pts (95%), n = 373,877 |
| All Ford Fiestas | 66.0% | n = 2,842,979 |
| Failures vs similar cars | 1.24× | same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00; Ford Fiesta overall 1.14× |
| Tests with a dangerous defect | 11.6% | n = 373,877 |
| Average age at test | 11.2 years | n = 373,877 |
| Registration years covered | 1983–2021 | DVSA first-use date |
Diesel against the other Ford Fiesta fuels
Official DVSA test results by fuel, with 73 Auto's adjusted ratio (failures against cars of the same age, mileage and fuel). The diesel cars were tested 1.3 years older on average than the petrol ones, so the raw pass rates partly reflect age; the adjusted column doesn't.
| Fuel | Tests | Average age | First-time pass | vs similar cars | Dangerous |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 2,468,915 | 9.9 yrs | 67.5% | +12% | 8.1% |
| Diesel | 373,877 | 11.2 yrs | 56.6% | +24% | 11.6% |
Where diesel Ford Fiestas differ
- Noise, emissions and leaks: diesel Ford Fiestas failed 70% more often than the Ford Fiesta overall, relative to comparable cars (1.90× vs 1.11×).
- Driver's view of the road: diesel Ford Fiestas failed 21% more often than the Ford Fiesta overall, relative to comparable cars (1.17× vs 0.96×).
| Area | Diesel (vs similar) | All Ford Fiestas (vs similar) |
|---|---|---|
| Lights, reflectors and electrical | 20.0% (+39%) | 16.0% (+34%) |
| Suspension | 18.5% (+42%) | 12.3% (+29%) |
| Tyres | 10.2% (+35%) | 7.7% (+21%) |
| Brakes | 7.2% (-21%) | 5.6% (-19%) |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 6.8% (+90%) | 3.9% (+11%) |
| Driver's view of the road | 6.0% (+17%) | 4.8% (-4%) |
| Steering | 5.7% (+95%) | 3.4% (+74%) |
| Body, chassis and structure | 5.0% (+4%) | 3.4% (-3%) |
| Seat belts and airbags | 0.9% (-36%) | 0.7% (-22%) |
| Road wheels | 0.6% (+17%) | 0.4% (+20%) |
| Registration plates and VIN | 0.5% (+8%) | 0.4% (+7%) |
Most common diesel Ford Fiesta failure items
| Item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn | Suspension | 7.67% |
| Stop lamp: not working | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 6.51% |
| Position lamp: not working | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 4.52% |
| Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play | Steering | 4.45% |
| Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 3.67% |
Pass rate by age, by fuel
| Age at test (years) | diesel pass rate (tests) | petrol pass rate (tests) |
|---|---|---|
| 3-4 | 83.7% (8,563) | 87.0% (259,456) |
| 5-6 | 70.4% (21,242) | 80.1% (341,235) |
| 7-8 | 61.2% (51,041) | 70.2% (417,119) |
| 9-10 | 56.5% (68,714) | 65.5% (393,155) |
| 11-12 | 55.8% (87,292) | 60.1% (284,987) |
| 13-15 | 51.2% (100,296) | 56.2% (380,490) |
| 16+ | 51.9% (35,566) | 54.2% (333,087) |
Ford Fiesta by registration year
Registration-year pages cover every fuel of that year.
- 1998 Ford Fiesta · 51.2%
- 1999 Ford Fiesta · 52.7%
- 2000 Ford Fiesta · 54.5%
- 2001 Ford Fiesta · 55.0%
- 2002 Ford Fiesta · 55.6%
- 2003 Ford Fiesta · 54.6%
- 2004 Ford Fiesta · 53.4%
- 2005 Ford Fiesta · 53.1%
- 2006 Ford Fiesta · 52.9%
- 2007 Ford Fiesta · 54.9%
- 2008 Ford Fiesta · 54.6%
- 2009 Ford Fiesta · 54.6%
- 2010 Ford Fiesta · 56.1%
- 2011 Ford Fiesta · 58.9%
- 2012 Ford Fiesta · 59.8%
- 2013 Ford Fiesta · 63.1%
- 2014 Ford Fiesta · 66.1%
- 2015 Ford Fiesta · 68.5%
- 2016 Ford Fiesta · 69.3%
- 2017 Ford Fiesta · 77.6%
- 2018 Ford Fiesta · 84.9%
- 2019 Ford Fiesta · 86.7%
- 2020 Ford Fiesta · 85.1%
- 2021 Ford Fiesta · 86.9%
What this does and doesn't tell you
Fuel is DVSA's recorded fuel type; plug-in and self-charging hybrids are grouped as hybrid. A difference between fuels can come from the engines themselves, or from how the cars are used — diesels typically cover more miles, and the adjusted ratio allows for mileage band but not for every difference in use. For one car, its own MOT history is the better guide: see MOT check.
Check a specific diesel Ford Fiesta
Enter a UK registration to see that car's own MOT history and what it is likely to cost to own. Your first check is free and shows the vehicle summary and its headline ownership cost. The category-by-category breakdown is part of a paid check.
UK number plate or 17-character VIN
About this data. These are MOT test results, not a measure of mechanical reliability: a car's MOT outcome reflects its condition on the day, which depends on how it has been maintained and driven as well as how it was built. Figures cover class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans), normal tests only (retests excluded), outcomes pass, fail and pass after rectification at the station; vehicles at least 2.5 years old at test. Tests from 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-30. “Compared with similar cars” means compared with the national rate for cars of the same age, mileage band and fuel. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Makes and models are matched to 73 Auto's vehicle catalogue; tests that can't be matched are left out rather than guessed. See how the MOT figures are produced.