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2003 Ford Fiesta: MOT pass rate and common faults

12,031 initial MOT tests in 2025 on cars first used in 2003 · DVSA data · For guidance only · How we count

55.2%passed first time

Share of initial MOT tests passed with no repairs. Repairs made at the test centre count as a fail. 95% range 54.3% to 56.1% (±0.9 points).

That is 3.5 points below the average for all vehicles first used in 2003 (58.7%). These cars were about 22 years old at the test.

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Failure areas compared with all 2003 vehicles

Compared with all vehicles first used in 2003, failures are more common in lights and electrics (1.0×), brakes (1.2×), noise, emissions, leaks (1.3×), windscreen, wipers, mirrors (1.3×) and tyres (1.2×), and less common in suspension (1.0×) and body, chassis, structure (0.7×). Other differences are within the margin of error.

Failed tests with a fault in each area, per 100 tests. The right-hand column shows how many times as often as all vehicles first used in 2003.

  1. Lights and electrics22.1 in 100 tests1.0× compared with 21.1 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2003
  2. Brakes15.1 in 100 tests1.2× compared with 12.7 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2003
  3. Suspension15.1 in 100 tests1.0× compared with 15.8 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2003
  4. Noise, emissions, leaks9.4 in 100 tests1.3× compared with 7.2 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2003
  5. Windscreen, wipers, mirrors9.3 in 100 tests1.3× compared with 7.3 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2003
  6. Tyres6.8 in 100 tests1.2× compared with 5.7 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2003
  7. Body, chassis, structure6.3 in 100 tests0.7× compared with 8.8 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2003
  8. Steering3.6 in 100 tests– no reliable figure for all vehicles first used in 2003
  9. Seat belts and airbags2.0 in 100 tests– no reliable figure for all vehicles first used in 2003
  10. Number plates and VIN0.8 in 100 tests– no reliable figure for all vehicles first used in 2003

All vehicles first used in 2003: the 77 models in our data, 243,368 tests (80.4% of all 302,566 tests on vehicles first used in 2003). Areas with fewer than 50 failures in a model aren't published, so an area is only compared when that leaves the all-vehicles figure at most 10% short; otherwise it shows –.

Typical mileage at test91,400

Median odometer reading at the 2025 MOT test, in miles. Half had more and half had less.

After an MOT advisory

2003 Ford Fiesta cars that passed their 2024 MOT first time with an advisory, and what their next MOT found, against similar cars that passed with nothing noted in that area. Only cars first used in 2003.

Tyres

Of 2003 Ford Fiesta cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a tyre advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 8.8% failed on tyres, against 4.4% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 1,360 and 3,868 cars.

  • With a tyre advisory8.8%
  • Similar cars, nothing noted4.4%

Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 24.5% of those with a tyre advisory and 21.9% of the others.

Brakes

Of 2003 Ford Fiesta cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a brake advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 16.4% failed on brakes, against 9.4% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 1,939 and 3,313 cars.

  • With a brake advisory16.4%
  • Similar cars, nothing noted9.4%

Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 24.0% of those with a brake advisory and 21.8% of the others.

Suspension

Of 2003 Ford Fiesta cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a suspension advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 17.3% failed on suspension, against 10.9% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 1,349 and 3,703 cars.

  • With a suspension advisory17.3%
  • Similar cars, nothing noted10.9%

Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 27.5% of those with a suspension advisory and 20.6% of the others.

Similar cars are the same model, first-use year and mileage band. Areas are the DVSA's top-level groups, so the later fail may not be the fault that was advised. These figures describe what happened to these cars. They don't show what a repair would have changed.

Ford Fiesta, all first-use years togetherHow we worked this outAll models compared, with the data

What MOT data can't tell you about any 2003 Ford Fiesta

Outstanding finance, write-offs, theft and plate changes aren't in MOT records. For a particular car, you need a history check.

Compare history checksWhat MOT history doesn't show

Other Ford Fiesta years

Ford Fiesta: every year, common faults and what to check

Other cars first used in 2003

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