Ford Ka 2008: reliability & common MOT faults
Elevated MOT failure patterns for the 2008 Ford Ka include Component mounting prescribed areas (front) (~24.8× peers) and Prescribed areas (~23.1× peers). Based on UK DVSA open data for test year 2025 (1,739 failed first-attempt tests), compared with similar age and mileage peers. Available test years: 2024, 2025.
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 1,739 failed first-attempt tests in test year 2025.
Component mounting prescribed areas (front)
This failure pattern appears about 24.8× more often than on similar peer cars — recorded on 184 failed first-attempt tests; 10.6% of failed tests for this model year.
Front · 184 failures · ×24.8 vs similar cars · 10.6% of failed first tests · Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars
Prescribed areas
This failure pattern appears about 23.1× more often than on similar peer cars — recorded on 133 failed first-attempt tests; 7.6% of failed tests for this model year.
Any · 133 failures · ×23.1 vs similar cars · 7.6% of failed first tests · Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars
Component mounting prescribed areas (rear)
This failure pattern appears about 10.3× more often than on similar peer cars — recorded on 489 failed first-attempt tests; 28.1% of failed tests for this model year.
Rear · 489 failures · ×10.3 vs similar cars · 28.1% 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 |
Prescribed areas (front)
Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems > Seat belts > Prescribed areas
|
Front | 99 | ×26.3 | 5.7% | Likely common fault pattern |
| 2 |
Component mounting prescribed areas (front)
Suspension > Component mounting prescribed areas
|
Front | 184 | ×24.8 | 10.6% | Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars |
| 3 |
Prescribed areas
Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems > Seat belts > Prescribed areas
|
Any | 133 | ×23.1 | 7.6% | Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars |
| 4 |
Chassis condition (front)
Body, chassis, structure > Chassis > Chassis condition
|
Front | 86 | ×18.7 | 4.9% | Likely common fault pattern |
| 5 |
Sub-frame mounting prescribed areas (front)
Suspension > Sub-frames > Sub-frame mounting prescribed areas
|
Front | 73 | ×17.3 | 4.2% | Likely common fault pattern |
| 6 |
Integral vehicle structure condition (front)
Body, chassis, structure > Integral vehicle structure > Integral vehicle structure condition
|
Front | 76 | ×16.5 | 4.4% | Likely common fault pattern |
| 7 |
Component mounting prescribed areas
Suspension > Component mounting prescribed areas
|
Any | 53 | ×13.4 | 3.0% | Likely common fault pattern |
| 8 |
Chassis condition
Body, chassis, structure > Chassis > Chassis condition
|
Any | 40 | ×13.3 | 2.3% | Likely common fault pattern |
| 9 |
Sub-frame mounting prescribed areas (rear)
Suspension > Sub-frames > Sub-frame mounting prescribed areas
|
Rear | 40 | ×12.4 | 2.3% | Likely common fault pattern |
| 10 |
Integral vehicle structure condition
Body, chassis, structure > Integral vehicle structure > Integral vehicle structure condition
|
Any | 43 | ×11.9 | 2.5% | Likely common fault pattern |
Only patterns that clear minimum sample and elevation thresholds are shown (at least 20 failures and 2.0× peer lift).
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 |
Component mounting prescribed areas (front)
Suspension > Component mounting prescribed areas
|
Front | 115 | ×20.2 | 6.6% | Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars |
| 2 |
Prescribed areas
Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems > Seat belts > Prescribed areas
|
Any | 30 | ×17.2 | 1.7% | Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars |
| 3 |
Chassis condition (front)
Body, chassis, structure > Chassis > Chassis condition
|
Front | 69 | ×16.7 | 4.0% | Likely common fault pattern |
| 4 |
Integral vehicle structure condition (front)
Body, chassis, structure > Integral vehicle structure > Integral vehicle structure condition
|
Front | 47 | ×12.4 | 2.7% | Likely common fault pattern |
| 5 |
Sub-frame mounting prescribed areas (front)
Suspension > Sub-frames > Sub-frame mounting prescribed areas
|
Front | 87 | ×10.2 | 5.0% | Likely common fault pattern |
| 6 |
Component mounting prescribed areas
Suspension > Component mounting prescribed areas
|
Any | 44 | ×7.6 | 2.5% | Likely common fault pattern |
| 7 |
Pins and bushes (rear)
Suspension > Sub-frames > Pins and bushes
|
Rear | 28 | ×6.7 | 1.6% | Elevated vs peers |
| 8 |
Integral vehicle structure condition
Body, chassis, structure > Integral vehicle structure > Integral vehicle structure condition
|
Any | 55 | ×5.4 | 3.2% | Likely common fault pattern |
FAQs
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.
Display rules config: 1
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.