Ford Fiesta Car CheckFull history check, MOT history and common problems
Free Ford Fiesta vehicle check by reg: MOT history, mileage and tax. Buying one? The full car history check shows outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, stolen markers, keepers and plate changes.
- 75% MOT pass rate
- 18,017 Fiestas checked
- 11.0% had outstanding finance
Ford Fiesta reg check
Full Ford Fiesta history check from £3.99
The MOT record is free, and it only shows the car's condition on test day. What a seller may not mention is in the full Ford Fiesta car check:
Of the 91 Ford Fiesta vehicles checked with a full CarCheckUp report, 11.0% had outstanding finance recorded and 17.6% an insurance write-off record.
- Outstanding finance: lender and agreement
- Insurance write-off: Cat S, N, C or D
- Police stolen marker
- High risk register
- Previous keepers and last change
- Plate and colour changes
- Scrapped, imported or exported
- Mileage anomaly check
£3.99 a report in the 5-report bundle, £11.99 for a single report; unused reports never expire. Shown on screen straight away and sent by email. No subscription. Start with the free check: you only pay for the full report.
Free Ford Fiesta MOT History and Mileage Data
What the MOT records of 17,653 Ford Fiesta vehicles show. The full check above covers what the MOT doesn't.
- 75%of MOT tests passedUK average 77%
- 6,600typical miles a year
- 4.2%have a mileage anomalyan MOT reading lower than an earlier one
- 230,650MOT tests analysed
- 2009–2015built (middle half)
- 83%petrol; 17% diesel
Ford Fiesta common problems: most common MOT failures and advisories
The defects MOT testers record most often on the Ford Fiesta, as a share of all its MOT tests (the same defect on any wheel or side counts once): the Fiesta's known weak points. Check these on the car you're viewing, or on your own before its next MOT.
Top 18 Ford Fiesta MOT failures
Reasons the car failed its MOT.
- Stop lamp not working4.2%
- Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.4%
- Position lamp not working2.0%
- Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn2.0%
- Headlamp not working on dipped beam1.7%
- Coil spring fractured or broken1.6%
- Headlamp aim too low1.5%
- Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively1.5%
- Track rod end ball joint has excessive play1.5%
- Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid1.2%
Show all 18
- Brake pad less than 1.5 mm thick1.0%
- Tyre has ply or cords exposed0.9%
- Headlamp aim too high0.8%
- Direction indicator incorrect colour0.7%
- Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords0.7%
- Brake pipe excessively corroded0.6%
- Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits0.5%
- Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect0.5%
Top 20 Ford Fiesta MOT advisories
Wear the tester noted: not a failure yet, but money to budget for.
- Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge8.4%
- Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened4.8%
- Brake pad wearing thin4.6%
- Tyre worn close to the legal limit4.3%
- Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing3.4%
- Coil spring corroded3.2%
- Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material2.4%
- Road wheel slightly distorted2.3%
- Oil leak, but not excessive2.2%
- Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread2.2%
Show all 20
- Suspension arm ball joint has slight play1.5%
- Track rod end ball joint has slight play1.5%
- Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim1.4%
- Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt1.4%
- Direction indicator slightly discoloured1.4%
- Nail in tyre1.2%
- Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases1.2%
- Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources1.2%
- Swivel pins and bushes swivel pin and/or bush slightly worn1.2%
- Play in steering rack inner joint1.1%
- Lights and indicators: 48% of failed tests
- Suspension: 32% of failed tests
- Tyres: 24% of failed tests
- Brakes: 16% of failed tests
- Windscreen and wipers: 14% of failed tests
- Tyres advisory: 27% of tests
- Brakes advisory: 18% of tests
- Suspension advisory: 16% of tests
Based on the DVSA MOT histories of all 17,653 Ford Fiesta vehicles with an MOT checked on CarCheckUp since March 2023 (230,650 tests, retests included). Updated 2 October 2026. Every MOT test and advisory for one car is in the free MOT history check, and our free mileage check flags a lower reading. Market-wide figures: UK Used Car Risk Report. How we calculate these figures. MOT and DVLA data: contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ford Fiesta versions
Every Ford Fiesta version checked on CarCheckUp counts on this page, grouped by the word after "Fiesta" in the DVLA record. Pass rates where at least 300 vehicles were checked.
| Version | Vehicles | MOT pass rate | Top failure area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiesta (no version recorded) | 17,106 | 75% | Lights and indicators |
Fiesta ST-Line
|
210 | – | – |
Fiesta Trend
|
142 | – | – |
Fiesta Active
|
44 | – | – |
Fiesta Titanium
|
44 | – | – |
Fiesta Stline
|
32 | – | – |
Fiesta Zetec
|
26 | – | – |
Fiesta Vignale
|
19 | – | – |
Fiesta ST
|
16 | – | – |
Key history checks before buying a used Ford Fiesta
All of these are in every full report, with 150+ more data points.
Outstanding finance
A Ford on hire purchase, PCP or a logbook loan may still belong to the lender. Buying it can lead to a dispute over who owns it. Outstanding finance check
Insurance write-off (Cat S, N, C, D)
Shows if an insurer declared the car a total loss. Cat S and N cars can return to the road, but the record lowers the value and can affect insurance. Write-off check
Police stolen marker
Checks the Police National Computer. A stolen car can be taken back, leaving you without the car or your money. Stolen car check
High risk register
Shows if a finance company, insurer or the police has registered an interest in the Fiesta. Find out why before you buy.
Mileage anomaly check & MOT history
Free: every MOT mileage reading compared for drops, with advisories and failures. Free mileage check
Previous keepers & plate changes
How many keepers the car has had and when, plus number plate changes that can separate a car from its history. Previous owners check
More free and full vehicle checks for a Ford Fiesta
Full Ford Fiesta car check from £3.99 a report
Finance, write-off, stolen, keepers, plate changes and 150+ data points on the Ford Fiesta you're looking at. The MOT history and mileage come free.
Check a Fiesta by reg → See a sample reportFord Fiesta MOT questions
How do I check a used Ford Fiesta for outstanding finance or a write-off?
Run a full car history check on its registration. Of the 91 Ford Fiesta vehicles checked with a full CarCheckUp report, 11.0% had outstanding finance recorded and 17.6% an insurance write-off record. The report also shows stolen markers, keepers, plate and colour changes.
Is a Ford Fiesta car check free?
The MOT history, mileage anomaly check, tax and DVLA details of any Ford Fiesta are free. The full car history check (finance, write-off, stolen, keepers and 150+ data points) is paid, from £3.99 a report.
What is the most common MOT failure on the Ford Fiesta?
Stop lamp not working: found at 4.2% of the Ford Fiesta MOT tests we analysed. By area, lights and indicators items appear in 48% of failed tests.
What is the Ford Fiesta MOT pass rate?
75% of 230,650 MOT tests on 17,653 Ford Fiesta vehicles checked on CarCheckUp were passed (retests included). The UK average across all vehicles we checked is 77%.
What are the common problems with the Ford Fiesta?
Going by its MOT records, the Ford Fiesta's most common failures are stop lamp not working (4.2% of tests); tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (2.4% of tests); position lamp not working (2.0% of tests). The full list of the top 20 MOT failures and advisories is on this page.
What is the most common MOT advisory on the Ford Fiesta?
Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge: noted at 8.4% of tests. An advisory is not a failure, but it is wear to budget for.
How many miles a year is a Ford Fiesta typically driven?
About 6,600 miles a year (the median, from MOT mileage readings). 4.2% have a mileage anomaly: an MOT reading lower than an earlier one.
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