Pass rate, every year
197,378 tests across 11 model years, 2002–2012.
−5.5 pts vs the national average
Pass rate, every year
197,378 tests across 11 model years, 2002–2012.
−5.5 pts vs the national average
Best year to buy
2012 83.3%
The strongest of the 11 years on record. See the 2012 page →
Worst year to buy
2003 71.9%
11.4 points below the 2012 peak. See the 2003 page →
The Ford Fusion MOT pass rate is 75.5%, −5.5 percentage points below the UK average. That is 197,378 DVSA MOT tests recorded between 2002 and 2012. This page lists the most common Ford Fusion 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 Fusion MOT pass rates does in your corner of the country.
The Ford Fusion passed on its first attempt in 68.7%, and its overall record sits −5.5 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Ford Fusion in the 2023–2025 data: 197,378 tests across 11 model years (2002–2012). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.
| Measure | This model |
|---|---|
| Tests analysed | 197,378 |
| Overall pass rate | 75.5% |
| Passed on first attempt | 68.7% |
| Average mileage at test | 87,017 mi |
| Model years covered | 2002–2012 (11 years) |
| Versus UK national average | −5.5 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 Fusion, 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 | 49% |
| Suspension | 29% |
| Brakes | 11% |
| Visibility | 9% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 2% |
Shares are over the Ford Fusion's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.
Around 49% of the recorded Ford Fusion failures fall in the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Stop lamp not working" (5.3%), "Headlamp lens slightly defective" (3.6%), "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (3.0%) among the Ford Fusion's lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment faults.
Around 29% of the recorded Ford Fusion failures fall in the Suspension section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (7.1%), "Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" (3.1%), "Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak" (0.5%) among the Ford Fusion's suspension faults.
Around 11% of the recorded Ford Fusion failures fall in the Brakes section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded" (3.7%), "Service brake imbalance across an axle" (0.4%) among the Ford Fusion's brakes faults.
The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Ford Fusion, each with how many of the model's 197,378 tests it was noted on.
The 8 biggest of 11 failure items this model records at least 1.5 times the UK rate for. One has a part guide — what to buy, which brands, and what the tester looks at next time.
| Failure item | This model | UK | × UK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rear fog lamp not working | 3.5% | 0.4% | 8.8× | £3–£15 |
| Stop lamp partly not working | 2.5% | 0.4% | 6.3× | £3–£12 |
| Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded | 27.5% | 4.6% | 6.0× | £80–£180 part £25–£55 |
| Ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated | 7.1% | 1.3% | 5.5× | £18–£45 |
| Wheel bearings rough when rotated | 3.3% | 0.6% | 5.5× | £20–£55 |
| Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt | 3.2% | 0.7% | 4.6× | £18–£45 |
| Swivel pin or bush excessively worn | 2.5% | 0.6% | 4.2× | £40–£150 |
| Indicator incorrect colour | 5.2% | 1.3% | 4.0× | £3–£12 |
Rates are a share of this model's own tests (197,378 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 Fusion 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
The strongest Ford Fusion model year on record is 2012 (83.3% across 2,747 tests), and the weakest is 2003 (71.9%). The gap between them is 11.4 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.
Ford Fusion reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 1.6 points a year across the most recent model years shown above.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 Fusion | 2,747 | 83.3% |
| 2011 Fusion | 8,840 | 81.5% |
| 2010 Fusion | 21,020 | 78.4% |
| 2009 Fusion | 31,407 | 77.4% |
| 2008 Fusion | 29,836 | 76.4% |
| 2007 Fusion | 27,671 | 75.1% |
| 2006 Fusion | 25,986 | 72.6% |
| 2005 Fusion | 17,595 | 73.7% |
| 2004 Fusion | 15,811 | 72.7% |
| 2003 Fusion | 14,446 | 71.9% |
| 2002 Fusion | 2,019 | 72.2% |
Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.
These checks follow this Ford Fusion's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Ford Fusion.
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.
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 brake pipes — “rigid brake pipes excessively corroded”
Brake pipes run under the car, usually in front of the rear wheels. Flaking or crusty metal is what fails; a light dusting of surface rust does not. Worth asking a garage to look while it is on a ramp.
Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Ford Fusion. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.
75.5% of the 197,378 recorded Ford Fusion MOT tests ended in a pass, −5.5 percentage points below the national average. 68.7% of those passed on the first attempt.
2012 is the strongest Ford Fusion year on record at 83.3%, while 2003 is the weakest at 71.9%. The year-by-year table below lists every model year with at least 50 recorded tests.
The most recorded Ford Fusion failures are "Ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" and "Stop lamp not working" — together around 12% of tests, mostly in the Suspension section.