Ford Fiesta: brakes MOT failures
Brakes was a recorded failure area in 4.5% of Ford Fiesta MOT tests in this dataset. It is most prominent on 1998, 1999 cars.
Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair cost: £100–£350 per axle (rough UK ballpark, not a quote).
Brakes failures by year
| Model year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 2,697 | 14.0% |
| 1997 | 4,995 | 14.6% |
| 1998 | 11,131 | 16.3% |
| 1999 | 14,224 | 16.0% |
| 2000 | 13,514 | 13.9% |
| 2001 | 23,462 | 12.8% |
| 2002 | 62,740 | 12.0% |
| 2003 | 127,100 | 12.4% |
| 2004 | 166,798 | 10.6% |
| 2005 | 197,777 | 10.4% |
| 2006 | 322,308 | 10.7% |
| 2007 | 380,721 | 9.6% |
| 2008 | 404,465 | 8.6% |
Methodology & source. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.