MOT statistics · 2023 tests

Ford Escort MOT pass rate, common failures and mileage

In 2023, 78.5% of 11,057 MOT tests on the Ford Escort ended in a pass, 2.0 points above the 76.5% average for all cars.

Pass rate

78.5%

All cars 76.5%

Tests

11,057

Initial MOTs in 2023

Mileage at 21

101k

Median; middle half 81k to 129k

Pass rate and mileage by age

Each row covers the Ford Escort MOT tests at that age. Mileage shows the median and the middle half of odometer readings, from the 25th to the 75th percentile.

Age	Pass rate	Mileage
21444 tests	64.2%	101,000 · 81k to 129k
22533 tests	63.8%	89,000 · 67k to 117k
23377 tests	60.7%	67,000 · 43k to 91k
24322 tests	62.7%	55,000 · 33k to 77k
25626 tests	64.7%	59,000 · 37k to 81k

Escort pass rateAll cars at that ageMiddle half of mileages

Most common MOT failures and advisories

How often each item came up, per 100 MOT tests on the Ford Escort. Advisories are things the tester noted that did not fail the car, often wear that will need attention soon. Follow an item to see what it means and how serious it is.

Failures

Corrosion near mountings

The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mo

3.8in 100 tests

Suspension and drive joints

A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc

2.6in 100 tests

Brakes pulling to one side

Brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recor

2.3in 100 tests

Side and tail lights

A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning

2.0in 100 tests

Corrosion in key areas

The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is

1.9in 100 tests

Wiper blades

Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen

1.7in 100 tests

Brake lights

Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning

1.5in 100 tests

Brake performance

Service brake efficiency below minimum requirement

1.5in 100 tests

Advisories and minor defects

Brake pipes

Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded

8.7in 100 tests

Engine oil leaks

Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users

7.9in 100 tests

Tyres

A tyre seriously damaged

5.0in 100 tests

Tyre tread

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

4.9in 100 tests

Suspension and drive joints

A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated (minor defect)

3.9in 100 tests

Suspension bushes

A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn

3.7in 100 tests

Brake discs

Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured

3.6in 100 tests

Wheel bearings

A wheel bearing with excessive play

3.5in 100 tests

What to check on a used Escort

The parts that come up most often in Ford Escort MOTs, and how to look at them on a viewing.

Brake pipes and hoses
Look underneath at the metal brake pipes for heavy rust, and at the rubber hoses for cracks or bulges.
Oil leaks
Look under the engine and gearbox, and at the ground where the car was parked, for fresh oil.
Tyres
Check the tread across the full width of every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts and bulges in the sidewalls.
Suspension and steering joints
Listen for knocks over bumps and at full lock, and ask whether any suspension or steering joints have been replaced.
Rust underneath
Look underneath at the sills, sub-frames and suspension mountings for heavy rust, not just surface marks.

Check a specific Escort

Fleet averages only go so far. Enter the registration to see that car's own MOT history, mileage record and current condition, free.

Questions

What is the MOT pass rate of the Ford Escort?

In 2023, 78.5% of 11,057 initial MOT tests on the Ford Escort ended in a pass, against 76.5% for all cars and light vans.

What fails most often on a Ford Escort MOT?

The most common failures were corrosion near mountings (3.8 in 100 tests), suspension and drive joints (2.6 in 100 tests), brakes pulling to one side (2.3 in 100 tests).

What is a normal mileage for a 21-year-old Ford Escort?

At 21 years old, the median Ford Escort at its MOT had covered 101,000 miles, and the middle half had between 81,000 and 129,000 miles.

What do MOT testers most often advise on a Ford Escort?

The most common advisories were brake pipes (8.7 in 100 tests), engine oil leaks (7.9 in 100 tests), tyres (5.0 in 100 tests).

Other Ford models

Overall MOT pass rate in 2023. Compare all Ford models or see every make.

Fiesta73.5%Focus74.4%Transit71.0%Kuga84.0%Mondeo72.4%Ka73.6%Ranger76.0%Ecosport87.0%Galaxy70.3%Fusion69.2%Puma91.8%Mustang85.2%Escort78.5%Edge87.6%

How these figures are made. We counted every initial MOT test (not retests) of cars and light vans in Great Britain in 2023 from the DVSA anonymised MOT dataset, 33,842,940 tests in all. Pass rate is the share of initial tests that ended in a pass, counting faults fixed during the test. Age is whole years from first registration to the test, so a car having its first MOT a few weeks early counts as 2.

Like-for-like pass rates average each model's pass rate at ages 3 to 10 with the same age mix for every model, so a model is not flattered by a young fleet or penalised by an old one. Models are grouped by the first word of the DVSA model name, and names that cover several models are left out.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. RegTail's analysis of the DVSA anonymised MOT dataset, 2023 tests.