Ford Mondeo Zetec Tdci MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 4,934 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 26.0%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Ford Mondeo Zetec Tdci MOT Reliability Overview
The Ford Mondeo Zetec Tdci is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 4,934 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 11 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 74.0% and a failure rate of 26.0%, which is above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Ford Mondeo Zetec Tdci earns a "Very Good" reliability rating. The average Ford Mondeo Zetec Tdci presents for MOT with approximately 72,033 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2006 models achieve the highest pass rate at 83.3%, while 2004 models have the lowest at 51.7%. This 31.6 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Ford Mondeo Zetec Tdci is Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment, affecting 19.5% 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 Tyres at 18.2%. Brakes rounds out the top three at 14.2%. 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
Best Year to Buy
📈 How Each Vintage Ages
Tracking how each manufacture year's MOT pass rate changes as the car ages. Showing 3 vintages — click year chips to highlight.
Multi-line chart showing how different Ford Mondeo Zetec Tdci vintages degrade over time, from age 3 to 20 years.
Only vintages with 100+ tests in at least 3 different test years are shown. Fleet average is the UK-wide pass rate for all cars at each age.
📉 How Age Affects Reliability
MOT failure rate by vehicle age for the Ford Mondeo Zetec Tdci. The dashed red line marks when the manufacturer warranty typically expires (3 years).
Line chart showing MOT failure rate by vehicle age from 3 to 7 years, with warranty expiry marked at 3 years.
💡 What does the warranty cliff mean?
The Ford Mondeo Zetec Tdci shows a moderate increase in MOT failures after warranty. The 38% increase is typical — plan for gradual maintenance cost increases. Peak failure occurs at age 7 (36.5% fail rate).
Note: pass rates may improve for very old vehicles due to survivorship bias — only well-maintained cars remain on the road.
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 | 21.3% | 1,050 |
| 2 | Tyres | 19.4% | 956 |
| 3 | Brakes | 16.1% | 795 |
| 4 | Suspension | 7.2% | 353 |
| 5 | Driver's View Of The Road | 5.8% | 284 |
| 6 | Exhaust, Fuel And Emissions | 3.5% | 175 |
| 7 | Registration Plates And Vin | 2.7% | 132 |
| 8 | Steering | 1.6% | 78 |
| 9 | Seat Belts And Supplementary Restraint Systems | 0.7% | 36 |
| 10 | Road Wheels | 0.7% | 33 |
| 11 | Non-component Advisories | 0.6% | 28 |
| 12 | Body, Structure And General Items | 0.4% | 20 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 72,033 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 | 2.95 | 21.3% | 1,050 |
| Tyres | 2.69 | 19.4% | 956 |
| Brakes | 2.24 | 16.1% | 795 |
| Suspension | 0.99 | 7.2% | 353 |
| Visibility | 0.80 | 5.8% | 284 |
| Emissions & Exhaust | 0.49 | 3.5% | 175 |
| Registration Plates and VIN | 0.37 | 2.7% | 132 |
| Steering | 0.22 | 1.6% | 78 |
| Seat Belts | 0.10 | 0.7% | 36 |
| Wheels | 0.09 | 0.7% | 33 |
| Non-component advisories | 0.08 | 0.6% | 28 |
| Body & Structure | 0.06 | 0.4% | 20 |
| Items Not Tested | 0.01 | 0.0% | 2 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Ford Mondeo Zetec Tdci has 72,033 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 Mondeo Zetec Tdci has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 3.61% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is better than average.
About Ford Mondeo Zetec Tdci MOT Data
The Ford Mondeo Zetec Tdci is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 4,934 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 11 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 74.0% and a failure rate of 26.0%, which is above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Ford Mondeo Zetec Tdci 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 tyres 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 Mondeo Zetec Tdci is likely to perform.
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 19.5% of failures
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment issues account for 19.5% of MOT failures on the Ford Mondeo Zetec Tdci. 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.
Tyres — 18.2% of failures
Tyres issues account for 18.2% of MOT failures on the Ford Mondeo Zetec Tdci. Tyre failures include tread depth below the legal minimum of 1.6mm, cuts, bulges, exposed cords, and incorrect tyre pressure. Tyres are one of the most common and easiest-to-prevent MOT failures. Typical repair costs: £50–200 per tyre. Pre-MOT check: Check tread depth with a 20p coin — if the outer band is visible, the tyre is too worn. Look for bulges, cuts, or embedded objects. Ensure all tyres match the recommended size and load rating.
Brakes — 14.2% of failures
Brakes issues account for 14.2% of MOT failures on the Ford Mondeo Zetec Tdci. Brake-related failures include worn brake pads, corroded brake discs, leaking brake lines, and faulty brake servos. These are safety-critical components — any brake deficiency will result in an MOT fail. Typical repair costs: £150–400. Pre-MOT check: Listen for squealing or grinding noises. Check brake pedal feel — if it feels spongy or goes to the floor, have the system inspected immediately. Look at brake pad thickness through the wheel spokes (minimum 3mm).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Ford Mondeo Zetec Tdci?
Based on 4,934 MOT tests in our database, the Ford Mondeo Zetec Tdci has an overall pass rate of 74.0% (26.0% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Ford Mondeo Zetec Tdci?
The top 3 reasons a Ford Mondeo Zetec Tdci fails its MOT are: 1. Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment (19.5%), 2. Tyres (18.2%), 3. Brakes (14.2%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Ford Mondeo Zetec Tdci reliable?
With a 26.0% MOT failure rate, the Mondeo Zetec Tdci is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Ford Mondeo Zetec Tdci?
Based on failure data, focus on: Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment (19.5%); Tyres (18.2%); Brakes (14.2%). 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.