Ford Escape MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 1,727 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 31.1%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Ford Escape MOT Reliability Overview
The Ford Escape is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 1,727 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 21 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 68.9% and a failure rate of 31.1%, which is slightly above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Ford Escape earns a "Good" reliability rating. The average Ford Escape presents for MOT with approximately 66,226 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2021 models achieve the highest pass rate at 87.1%, while 2002 models have the lowest at 31.5%. This 55.6 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Ford Escape is Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment, affecting 28.7% of all tests. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. The second most common issue is Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment at 17.8%. Suspension rounds out the top three at 16.8%. Together, these top 3 failure categories account for a significant portion of all MOT failures for this model.
Top failures across all manufacture years combined. Individual year pages may show different top failures.
What Fails Most
Pass Rate by Manufacture Year
* High Fail Rate badge indicates an MOT pass rate below 65% (failure rate above 35%).
What Fails on This Car?
Click a category to see specific failure items.
View as table
| Rank | Failure Category | Rate (%) | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamps, Reflectors And Electrical Equipment | 54.3% | 937 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.8% | 342 |
| 3 | Suspension | 19.2% | 332 |
| 4 | Tyres | 12.7% | 220 |
| 5 | Steering | 5.2% | 90 |
| 6 | Driver's View Of The Road | 4.9% | 85 |
| 7 | Non-component Advisories | 3.0% | 51 |
| 8 | Visibility | 2.7% | 47 |
| 9 | Noise, Emissions And Leaks | 2.4% | 42 |
| 10 | Exhaust, Fuel And Emissions | 2.0% | 35 |
| 11 | Body, Chassis, Structure | 1.9% | 32 |
| 12 | Registration Plates And Vin | 1.2% | 20 |
| 13 | Seat Belts And Supplementary Restraint Systems | 0.7% | 12 |
| 14 | Identification Of The Vehicle | 0.5% | 9 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 66,226 miFor every 10,000 miles driven, this shows what percentage of MOT tests fail for each category. This accounts for how far cars are actually driven, not just raw pass/fail counts.
View as table
| Category | Rate / 10K mi | Raw % | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps & Electrical | 8.19 | 54.3% | 937 |
| Brakes | 2.99 | 19.8% | 342 |
| Suspension | 2.90 | 19.2% | 332 |
| Tyres | 1.92 | 12.7% | 220 |
| Visibility | 1.15 | 7.6% | 132 |
| Steering | 0.79 | 5.2% | 90 |
| Non-component advisories | 0.45 | 3.0% | 51 |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.37 | 2.4% | 42 |
| Emissions & Exhaust | 0.31 | 2.0% | 35 |
| Body & Structure | 0.28 | 1.9% | 32 |
| Registration Plates and VIN | 0.17 | 1.2% | 20 |
| Seat Belts | 0.10 | 0.7% | 12 |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.08 | 0.5% | 9 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Ford Escape has 66,226 miles when tested for MOT.
📊 Mileage-Adjusted Failure Rate
How often this car fails MOT relative to how much it's driven — a fairer comparison than raw pass rate.
The Ford Escape has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 4.70% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is better than average.
About Ford Escape MOT Data
The Ford Escape is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 1,727 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 21 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 68.9% and a failure rate of 31.1%, which is slightly above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Ford Escape owners, these results suggest a reliable vehicle that generally passes its MOT without major issues. Focus your pre-MOT checks on lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment and lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment for the best chance of a first-time pass. Use our detailed year-by-year breakdown and failure analysis below to understand how your specific Escape is likely to perform.
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.7% of failures
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment issues account for 28.7% of MOT failures on the Ford Escape. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs: £5–50. Pre-MOT check: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test.
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 17.8% of failures
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment issues account for 17.8% of MOT failures on the Ford Escape. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs: £5–50. Pre-MOT check: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test.
Suspension — 16.8% of failures
Suspension issues account for 16.8% of MOT failures on the Ford Escape. Suspension failures typically involve worn bushes, leaking shock absorbers, broken coil springs, and damaged suspension arms. These affect ride quality, tyre wear, and road holding. Typical repair costs: £200–500. Pre-MOT check: Look for uneven tyre wear, listen for clunking over bumps, and check if the car pulls to one side. A bouncy ride suggests worn shock absorbers. Visually inspect coil springs for cracks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Ford Escape?
Based on 1,727 MOT tests in our database, the Ford Escape has an overall pass rate of 68.9% (31.1% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Ford Escape?
The top 3 reasons a Ford Escape fails its MOT are: 1. Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment (28.7%), 2. Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (17.8%), 3. Suspension (16.8%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Ford Escape reliable?
With a 31.1% MOT failure rate, the Escape is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Ford Escape?
Based on failure data, focus on: Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment (28.7%); Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (17.8%); Suspension (16.8%). These are the areas most likely to cause a fail. Also check all lights, tyres (minimum 1.6mm tread), and windscreen condition — these are quick wins that apply to all cars.
Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.