Model Reports 8 min read Updated 12 Jul 2026

Ford Fiesta 2015: reliability & common MOT faults

Elevated MOT failure patterns for the 2015 Ford Fiesta include Swivel pins and bushes (rear) (~59.2× peers) and Stop lamp (~5.5× peers). Based on UK DVSA open data for test year 2025 (41,952 failed first-attempt tests), compared with similar age and mileage peers. Available test years: 2024, 2025.

41,952 failed first-attempt tests · 119,208 first tests (test year 2025)

Standout pattern: Swivel pins and bushes (rear) — about 59.2× more often than on similar peer cars.

Key takeaways before you buy

  • Swivel pins and bushes (rear): about 59.2× more often than similar cars
  • Stop lamp: about 5.5× more often than similar cars
  • Stop lamp (rear): about 5.2× more often than similar cars

Common faults

These are MOT failure patterns that show up more often on this registration year than on similar cars of the same class, age band, and mileage in the same test year (leave-one-out peer comparison; whole model family excluded).

Statistical patterns from MOT defect codes — not manufacturer TSBs, recalls, or a diagnosis of any individual car. Fail and advisory patterns are kept separate.

Based on 41,952 failed first-attempt tests in test year 2025.

Swivel pins and bushes (rear)

This failure pattern appears about 59.2× more often than on similar peer cars — recorded on 2,121 failed first-attempt tests; 5.1% of failed tests for this model year.

Rear · 2,121 failures · ×59.2 vs similar cars · 5.1% of failed first tests · Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars

Stop lamp

This failure pattern appears about 5.5× more often than on similar peer cars — recorded on 5,518 failed first-attempt tests; 13.2% of failed tests for this model year.

Any · 5,518 failures · ×5.5 vs similar cars · 13.2% of failed first tests · Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars

Stop lamp (rear)

This failure pattern appears about 5.2× more often than on similar peer cars — recorded on 4,922 failed first-attempt tests; 11.7% of failed tests for this model year.

Rear · 4,922 failures · ×5.2 vs similar cars · 11.7% of failed first tests · Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars

# Fault pattern Location Failures vs similar cars Share of fails Confidence
1 Swivel pins and bushes (rear)
Suspension > Axles > Swivel pins and bushes
 Rear 2,121 ×59.2 5.1% Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars
2 Stop lamp
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Stop lamp
 Any 5,518 ×5.5 13.2% Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars
3 Stop lamp (rear)
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Stop lamp
 Rear 4,922 ×5.2 11.7% Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars
4 Ball joint (front)
Suspension > Suspension arms > Ball joint
 Front 6,177 ×2.9 14.7% Possible elevated fault
5 On or after 01/01/2014
Noise, emissions and leaks > Exhaust emissions > Compression ignition > On or after 01/01/2014
 Any 973 ×2.7 2.3% Possible elevated fault

Only patterns that clear minimum sample and elevation thresholds are shown (at least 20 failures and 2.0× peer lift).

Wear patterns

These patterns look like wear or usage effects rather than model-specific design faults. Tyres, brake friction material, and alignment-related defects often track mileage and road use. They are not treated as a model design fault in our common-faults ranking.

# Pattern Location Failures vs similar cars Share of fails Confidence
1 Tyre pressure monitoring system
Tyres > Tyre pressure monitoring system
 Any 6,762 ×3.3 16.1% Wear / usage pattern — not treated as a model design fault
2 Tyre pressure monitoring system (front)
Tyres > Tyre pressure monitoring system
 Front 92 ×2.3 0.2% Wear / usage pattern — not treated as a model design fault
3 Headlamp aim not tested (front)
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Headlamp aim > Headlamp aim not tested
 Front 278 ×2.0 0.7% Wear / usage pattern — not treated as a model design fault

Advisories

Advisory items recorded on failed first-attempt tests that appear elevated versus peers. Advisories are not a fail rate — they flag issues noted at the test, often before they become failures.

# Advisory pattern Location Notes vs similar cars Share Confidence
1 Pins and bushes (rear)
Suspension > Sub-frames > Pins and bushes
 Rear 876 ×45.6 2.1% Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars
2 Swivel pins and bushes
Suspension > Axles > Swivel pins and bushes
 Any 232 ×32.7 0.6% Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars
3 Swivel pins and bushes (rear)
Suspension > Axles > Swivel pins and bushes
 Rear 3,244 ×29.2 7.7% Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars
4 Pins and bushes
Suspension > Sub-frames > Pins and bushes
 Any 47 ×21.8 0.1% Elevated vs peers
5 Pins and bushes (rear)
Suspension > Other suspension component > Pins and bushes
 Rear 356 ×14.7 0.8% Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars
6 Pins and bushes
Suspension > Other suspension component > Pins and bushes
 Any 50 ×12.4 0.1% Elevated vs peers
7 Engine mounting condition (rear)
Body, chassis, structure > Engine mounting > Engine mounting condition
 Rear 36 ×7.4 0.1% Elevated vs peers
8 Engine mounting condition (front)
Body, chassis, structure > Engine mounting > Engine mounting condition
 Front 39 ×4.1 0.1% Elevated vs peers

FAQs

We do not show a single reliability score for the 2015 Ford Fiesta on this page. Among 41,952 failed first-attempt MOT tests (test year 2025), Swivel pins and bushes (rear) appears more often than on similar peer cars (about 59.2× more often than peers; 2,121 observed failures; 5.1% of failed tests). Treat this as a pre-purchase checklist from DVSA open data — not a guarantee for any individual car.
Among failed first-attempt tests we surface patterns that appear more often than on similar peer cars. Top example: Swivel pins and bushes (rear) (about 59.2× more often than peers; 2,121 observed failures; 5.1% of failed tests). These are statistical signals, not a diagnosis of any individual car.
Swivel pins and bushes (rear) shows up more often than on similar peer cars (about 59.2× more often than peers; 2,121 observed failures; 5.1% of failed tests). That does not prove a causal design fault — age, mileage, and usage still matter. Treat it as a pre-purchase check point, not a manufacturer TSB.
Common MOT problem areas for the 2015 Ford Fiesta include Swivel pins and bushes (rear), Stop lamp, Stop lamp (rear). These are elevated versus similar peer cars where lift clears our floors — not a full list of every possible fault on an individual car.
Advisories flag issues noted at the test and are not a fail rate. We show advisory patterns that look elevated versus peers among failed first-attempt tests, separate from common failure rows. Use them as early-warning checks, not as a pass/fail score.
This page highlights elevated MOT failure patterns for the 2015 Ford Fiesta (registration year) using UK DVSA open data for the selected test year. Patterns are ranked against similar age and mileage peers. It is a buyer checklist from MOT defect statistics — not a full service history or manufacturer TSB list.
No. MOT tests do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronic modules. Patterns here come from MOT defect statistics only and should not be read as engine or gearbox reliability scores.
PRS means the vehicle failed items that were fixed at the test station and then passed the same day. We count PRS as a first-attempt fail in headline rates so same-day repairs do not hide problems.

About this data

Universe. UK class 4 cars only; normal MOT tests (not retests); results pass, PRS, or fail; one first test per vehicle per calendar year.

PRS policy. PRS means the vehicle failed items that were fixed at the test station and then passed the same day. We count PRS as a first-attempt fail in headline rates so same-day repairs do not hide problems.

Peer baseline. We compare this model year with other class 4 cars of similar age and mileage in the same test year, excluding the whole model family so the car is not compared with itself (leave-one-out peer baseline).

Data years. Test years covered: 2024, 2025.

Limitations.

  • MOT tests do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronic modules — so this is not a full reliability score.
  • Common faults are inferred from MOT defect statistics, not manufacturer TSBs or recalls.
  • Matching on age and mileage reduces but does not remove every usage or maintenance difference between cars.
  • Pass rates and star scores appear only when those data marts are available; this page never invents them.

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Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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