Pass rate, every year
2,538 tests across 16 model years, 2000–2017.
−12.9 pts vs the national average
Pass rate, every year
2,538 tests across 16 model years, 2000–2017.
−12.9 pts vs the national average
Best year to buy
2001 75.6%
The strongest of the 16 years on record. See the 2001 page →
Worst year to buy
2012 63.0%
12.6 points below the 2001 peak. See the 2012 page →
The Ford Freda MOT pass rate is 68.1%, −12.9 percentage points below the UK average. That is 2,538 DVSA MOT tests recorded between 2000 and 2017. This page lists the most common Ford Freda MOT failures by category, names the best and worst model years, and finishes with a pre-MOT checklist you can run at home.
MOT pass rates are national — type your postcode to see how Ford Freda MOT pass rates does in your corner of the country.
The Ford Freda passed on its first attempt in 58.4%, and its overall record sits −12.9 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Ford Freda in the 2023–2025 data: 2,538 tests across 16 model years (2000–2017). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.
| Measure | This model |
|---|---|
| Tests analysed | 2,538 |
| Overall pass rate | 68.1% |
| Passed on first attempt | 58.4% |
| Average mileage at test | 137,130 mi |
| Model years covered | 2000–2017 (16 years) |
| Versus UK national average | −12.9 pts below |
Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.
Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Ford Freda, 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 | 37% |
| Suspension | 32% |
| Visibility | 13% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 8% |
| Brakes | 4% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 4% |
| Steering | 2% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 1% |
Shares are over the Ford Freda's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.
Around 37% of the recorded Ford Freda failures fall in the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (5.5%), "Rear fog lamp not working" (4.7%), "Headlamp lens slightly defective" (3.8%) among the Ford Freda's lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment faults.
Around 32% of the recorded Ford Freda failures fall in the Suspension section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength" (9.4%), "Ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (4.3%), "Linkage ball joint dust cover ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" (1.5%) among the Ford Freda's suspension faults.
Around 13% of the recorded Ford Freda failures fall in the Visibility section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (3.7%), "Wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively" (2.4%), "Wipers blade defective" (0.5%) among the Ford Freda's visibility faults.
The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Ford Freda, each with how many of the model's 2,538 tests it was noted on.
The strongest Ford Freda model year on record is 2001 (75.6% across 78 tests), and the weakest is 2012 (63.0%). The gap between them is 12.6 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.
Ford Freda reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 1.3 points a year across the most recent model years shown above.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 Freda | 79 | 69.6% |
| 2016 Freda | 98 | 68.4% |
| 2015 Freda | 134 | 73.1% |
| 2014 Freda | 106 | 71.7% |
| 2013 Freda | 80 | 65.0% |
| 2012 Freda | 73 | 63.0% |
| 2011 Freda | 167 | 68.9% |
| 2010 Freda | 193 | 66.3% |
| 2009 Freda | 182 | 69.2% |
| 2008 Freda | 224 | 65.2% |
| 2007 Freda | 333 | 68.8% |
| 2006 Freda | 273 | 69.2% |
| 2005 Freda | 283 | 63.6% |
| 2004 Freda | 152 | 65.8% |
| 2001 Freda | 78 | 75.6% |
| 2000 Freda | 83 | 74.7% |
Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.
These checks follow this Ford Freda's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Ford Freda.
corrosion — “component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength”
Look under the sills, around the jacking points and where the suspension mounts meet the body. Flaking, holed or crumbly metal fails; a brown stain on sound metal does not.
the lights — “registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources”
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 suspension joints — “ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated”
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 Freda. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.
68.1% of the 2,538 recorded Ford Freda MOT tests ended in a pass, −12.9 percentage points below the national average. 58.4% of those passed on the first attempt.
2001 is the strongest Ford Freda year on record at 75.6%, while 2012 is the weakest at 63.0%. The year-by-year table below lists every model year with at least 50 recorded tests.
The most recorded Ford Freda failures are "Component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength" and "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" — together around 15% of tests, mostly in the Suspension section.