2019 Ford Focus St — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 7,813 MOT tests analysed for the 2019 Ford Focus St, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, brakes and lighting & signalling. Its pass rate of 88.4% was below the average for cars of a similar age (89.8%). Higher-mileage examples failed more often — 15.7% in the 60-90k group versus 10.3% in the 0-30k group.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 8.7% | 681 |
| 2 | Brakes | 1.8% | 138 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.2% | 94 |
| 4 | Visibility | 0.8% | 59 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.5% | 41 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.5% | 40 |
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 | 123 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 114 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 83 |
| 4 | Washers | 38 |
| 5 | Catalyst emissions | 36 |
| 6 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 32 |
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 | 21.4% | 1,674 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.4% | 1,278 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.1% | 399 |
| 4 | Road wheels | 4.3% | 335 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.4% | 106 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.9% | 73 |
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 | 4,552 | 10.3% |
| 30-60k | 3,006 | 13.3% |
| 60-90k | 242 | 15.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1,918 | 10.5% |
| 2023 | 1,955 | 11.2% |
| 2024 | 1,933 | 12.0% |
| 2025 | 1,991 | 12.9% |
What to check before buying a 2019 Focus St
Before buying a 2019 Ford Focus St, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Tyres accounted for 8.7% of tests for this year.
- Tyres (8.7% 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 (1.8% 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 (1.2% 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 Sts pass their MOT?
88.4% of the 7,813 2019 Ford Focus St MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 Ford Focus St?
Tyres, recorded in 8.7% of tests, followed by brakes (1.8%).
Does the 2019 Focus St get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.3% in the 0-30k band to 15.7% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 7,813 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.