Pass rate, every year
81.6% Around average
190,750 tests across 7 model years, 2012–2018.
+0.6 pts vs the national average
Ford B-Max MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics
Best year to buy
2016 85.8%
The strongest of the 7 years on record. See the 2016 page →
Worst year to buy
2012 77.6%
8.2 points below the 2016 peak. See the 2012 page →
The Ford B-Max MOT pass rate is 81.6%, +0.6 percentage points above the UK average. That is 190,750 DVSA MOT tests recorded between 2012 and 2018. This page lists the most common Ford B-Max MOT failures by category, names the best and worst model years, and finishes with a pre-MOT checklist you can run at home.
Check your postcode
MOT pass rates are national — type your postcode to see how Ford B-Max MOT pass rates does in your corner of the country.
Ford B-Max MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average
The Ford B-Max passed on its first attempt in 77.7%, and its overall record sits +0.6 percentage points above the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Ford B-Max in the 2023–2025 data: 190,750 tests across 7 model years (2012–2018). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.
| Measure | This model |
|---|---|
| Tests analysed | 190,750 |
| Overall pass rate | 81.6% |
| Passed on first attempt | 77.7% |
| Average mileage at test | 52,365 mi |
| Model years covered | 2012–2018 (7 years) |
| Versus UK national average | +0.6 pts above |
Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.
Most Common Ford B-Max MOT Problems by Failure Category
Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Ford B-Max, the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.
| Inspection section | Share of failures |
|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 36% |
| Suspension | 28% |
| Visibility | 23% |
| Tyres | 9% |
| Brakes | 2% |
| Steering | 2% |
Shares are over the Ford B-Max's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Around 36% of the recorded Ford B-Max failures fall in the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Stop lamp not working" (7.0%), "Headlamp lens slightly defective" (0.4%), "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps" (0.2%) among the Ford B-Max's lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment faults.
Suspension
Around 28% of the recorded Ford B-Max failures fall in the Suspension section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Coil spring fractured or broken" (2.8%), "Ball joint excessively worn" (2.8%), "Ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (0.5%) among the Ford B-Max's suspension faults.
Visibility
Around 23% of the recorded Ford B-Max failures fall in the Visibility section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (1.9%), "Wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively" (1.5%), "Wipers blade defective" (1.3%) among the Ford B-Max's visibility faults.
Top Recorded Ford B-Max DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions
The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Ford B-Max, each with how many of the model's 190,750 tests it was noted on.
- "Stop lamp not working" (Major) — noted on about 13,273 Ford B-Max tests, 7.0% of the model's MOT record.
- "Coil spring fractured or broken" (Major) — noted on about 5,404 Ford B-Max tests, 2.8% of the model's MOT record.
- "Ball joint excessively worn" (Major) — noted on about 5,256 Ford B-Max tests, 2.8% of the model's MOT record.
- "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 3,703 Ford B-Max tests, 1.9% of the model's MOT record.
- "Wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively" (Major) — noted on about 2,955 Ford B-Max tests, 1.5% of the model's MOT record.
- "Wipers blade defective" (Minor) — noted on about 2,524 Ford B-Max tests, 1.3% of the model's MOT record.
What B-Max fails on more than most
3 failure items are recorded at least 1.5 times the UK rate on this model.
| Failure item | This model | UK | × UK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swivel pin or bush excessively worn | 2.8% | 0.6% | 4.7× | £40–£150 |
| Stop lamp not working | 7.0% | 1.6% | 4.4× | £3–£12 |
| TPMS warning light on | 1.1% | 0.3% | 3.7× | £45–£95 |
Rates are a share of this model's own tests (190,750 for the top row), so a big seller cannot outrank a rare one. The UK figure is the same item's share of every test in our data. Items B-Max records at or below the UK rate are not listed — this is where it is unusual, not a full inventory. All failure items · parts and costs
Best and Worst Ford B-Max Model Years by Pass Rate
The strongest Ford B-Max model year on record is 2016 (85.8% across 24,020 tests), and the weakest is 2012 (77.6%). The gap between them is 8.2 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.
Ford B-Max reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 0.8 points a year across the most recent model years shown above.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 B-Max | 2,376 | 82.4% |
| 2017 B-Max | 19,783 | 83.8% |
| 2016 B-Max | 24,020 | 85.8% |
| 2015 B-Max | 33,724 | 84.3% |
| 2014 B-Max | 45,897 | 81.3% |
| 2013 B-Max | 54,046 | 78.3% |
| 2012 B-Max | 10,904 | 77.6% |
Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.
Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Ford B-Max Owners
These checks follow this Ford B-Max's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Ford B-Max.
-
the lights — “stop lamp not working”
Switch everything on and walk round the car: both headlamps on dip and main, every indicator, both brake lights, reverse, fog and the two number-plate lamps. A bulb is a few pounds and a five-minute job.
-
the coil springs — “coil spring fractured or broken”
Look up inside each wheel arch with a torch, all the way round the spring. A snapped spring usually breaks at the very bottom coil, where a quick glance will not reach.
-
the suspension joints — “ball joint excessively worn”
With the car parked on level ground, rock the top of each front wheel in and out while someone watches the suspension arm. Clunks, or rubber boots split and greasy, are what testers record here.
Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Ford B-Max. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions: Ford B-Max MOT & Reliability
What is the Ford B-Max MOT pass rate?
81.6% of the 190,750 recorded Ford B-Max MOT tests ended in a pass, +0.6 percentage points above the national average. 77.7% of those passed on the first attempt.
Which Ford B-Max model years pass the MOT most often?
2016 is the strongest Ford B-Max year on record at 85.8%, while 2012 is the weakest at 77.6%. The year-by-year table below lists every model year with at least 50 recorded tests.
What are the most common Ford B-Max MOT failures?
The most recorded Ford B-Max failures are "Stop lamp not working" and "Coil spring fractured or broken" — together around 10% of tests, mostly in the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section.