Ford Mondeo Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Ford Mondeo fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 355,036 MOT tests across 30 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: family car | Fuel: Hybrid, Diesel, Petrol
78%
Ford Mondeo pass rate
85%
Ford average
82%
All-model average
The Ford Mondeo has an average MOT pass rate of 78%, which is 7 points below the Ford average and 4 points below the average across all models in our data. Newer Ford Mondeos pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 10 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Ford Mondeo Fails Its MOT On
Of the 56,372 MOT tests on the Ford Mondeo that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Lights and electrics
42%Cars and vans the same age: 42% · Typical repair £15-£200
Suspension
32%Cars and vans the same age: 37% · Typical repair £150-£600
Tyres
27%Cars and vans the same age: 20% (the Mondeo fails on this more often) · Typical repair £50-£300
Brakes
24%Cars and vans the same age: 24% · Typical repair £80-£450
Body, chassis and structure
14%Cars and vans the same age: 14% · Typical repair £200-£1200
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Position lamp: not working (10% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Tyre tread depth below the 1.6mm limit (9.1% of failed tests, tyres)
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick (8.6% of failed tests, brakes)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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Ford Mondeo Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each Mondeo year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
Passed more often than cars their age
No year passed 3 or more points more often than other cars of the same age.
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
Ford Mondeo Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
| Year | Fuel | Engine | Pass Rate | Fail Rate | All Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Hybrid | 2.0L | 94% | 6% | - |
| 2021 | Diesel | 2.0L | 89% | 10% | 93% (-4) |
| 2020 | Diesel | 2.0L | 89% | 11% | 92% (-3) |
| 2019 | Diesel | 2.0L | 90% | 10% | 91% (-1) |
| 2018 | Petrol | 1.0L | 90% | 10% | 89% (+1) |
| 2017 | Petrol | 1.0L | 88% | 11% | 87% (+1) |
| 2016 | Petrol | 2.0L | 87% | 13% | 86% (+1) |
| 2015 | Diesel | 1.6L | 86% | 14% | 84% (+2) |
| 2014 | Diesel | 1.6L | 80% | 20% | 82% (-2) |
| 2013 | Diesel | 1.6L | 78% | 21% | 80% (-2) |
| 2012 | Diesel | 1.6L | 78% | 22% | 79% (-1) |
| 2011 | Diesel | 2.0L | 77% | 22% | 77% (0) |
| 2010 | Diesel | 2.0L | 75% | 25% | 75% (0) |
| 2009 | Diesel | 2.0L | 74% | 25% | 75% (-1) |
| 2008 | Petrol | 1.8L | 72% | 27% | 74% (-2) |
| 2007 | Diesel | 2.0L | 71% | 28% | 73% (-2) |
| 2006 | Diesel | 2.0L | 71% | 29% | 73% (-2) |
| 2005 | Diesel | 3.0L | 69% | 30% | 73% (-4) |
| 2004 | Petrol | 2.0L | 69% | 30% | 72% (-3) |
| 2003 | Petrol | 2.0L | 68% | 30% | 72% (-4) |
| 2002 | Diesel | 2.0L | 68% | 30% | 73% (-5) |
| 2001 | Petrol | 2.5L | 69% | 29% | 73% (-4) |
| 2000 | Petrol | 2.5L | 70% | 30% | 74% (-4) |
| 1999 | Diesel | 1.8L | 71% | 28% | 75% (-4) |
| 1998 | Petrol | 2.5L | 72% | 27% | - |
| 1997 | Petrol | 2.5L | 71% | 27% | - |
| 1996 | Diesel | 1.8L | 73% | 26% | - |
| 1995 | Diesel | 1.8L | 69% | 31% | - |
| 1994 | Petrol | 2.0L | 76% | 24% | - |
| 1993 | Petrol | 1.6L | 83% | 17% | - |
Ford Mondeo Running Costs
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Ford Mondeo FAQ
What are the most common Ford Mondeo problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Ford Mondeo that failed at the first attempt most often failed on lights and electrics (42% of the 56,372 failed tests), suspension (32%) and tyres (27%). The single most common fault was "Position lamp: not working" (10%). Across 355,036 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 78% ended in a pass.
Is the Ford Mondeo reliable?
The Ford Mondeo has an average MOT pass rate of 78%, from 355,036 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed within 1 point of other cars of the same age, so about average for its age.
Which Ford Mondeo years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2002 (68% of 3,281 tests passed, against 73% for all 2002 cars), the 2005 (69% of 11,436 tests passed, against 73% for all 2005 cars) and the 2003 (68% of 4,276 tests passed, against 72% for all 2003 cars) failed their MOT most often for their age. A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common Ford Mondeo faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Ford Mondeo typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
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Other Ford Models
Common problems pages for other Ford models