2019 Ford Focus St Ecoblue — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 993 MOT tests analysed for the 2019 Ford Focus St Ecoblue, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, brakes and lighting & signalling. Its pass rate of 85.7% was below the average for cars of a similar age (89.8%). Higher-mileage examples failed more often — 17.2% in the 60-90k group versus 11.8% in the 0-30k group.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 10.7% | 106 |
| 2 | Brakes | 1.9% | 19 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.8% | 18 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.6% | 16 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.3% | 13 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.1% | 11 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 18 |
| 2 | Wipers | 14 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 12 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 11 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 7 |
| 6 | Brake discs | 7 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 22.8% | 226 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.4% | 193 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.6% | 65 |
| 4 | Road wheels | 3.4% | 34 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.5% | 15 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.5% | 15 |
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 | 365 | 11.8% |
| 30-60k | 497 | 15.9% |
| 60-90k | 116 | 17.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 242 | 12.0% |
| 2023 | 242 | 14.9% |
| 2024 | 252 | 14.7% |
| 2025 | 257 | 15.6% |
What to check before buying a 2019 Focus St Ecoblue
Before buying a 2019 Ford Focus St Ecoblue, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Tyres accounted for 10.7% of tests for this year.
- Tyres (10.7% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Brakes (1.9% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (1.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£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 2019 Ford Focus St Ecoblues pass their MOT?
85.7% of the 993 2019 Ford Focus St Ecoblue MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 Ford Focus St Ecoblue?
Tyres, recorded in 10.7% of tests, followed by brakes (1.9%).
Does the 2019 Focus St Ecoblue get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.8% in the 0-30k band to 17.2% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 993 MOT tests. 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.