Used car guide

2016 Ford B-MAX: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2016 Ford B-MAXs, from 7,151 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

7,151MOT tests in 2025
74%pass first time (all 2016 cars: 75%)
5,000typical miles a year
4.9×the usual rate for brake lights

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2016 Ford B-MAXs than on all cars registered in 2016.

  • Brake lights4.9× usual
    Ford B-MAX
    8.8% All 2016 cars
    1.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 8.7%, against 1.4% of all 2016 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

  • Wipers1.8× usual
    Ford B-MAX
    4.4% All 2016 cars
    2.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.8%, against 1.6% of all 2016 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £15–£60 our estimate

    At the viewing: Test the wipers and washers on every speed.

  • Seat belts2.9× usual
    Ford B-MAX
    2.3% All 2016 cars
    0.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.3%, against 0.3% of all 2016 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £80–£250 our estimate

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock and retract smoothly.

  • Tyre pressure monitoring system1.8× usual
    Ford B-MAX
    2.2% All 2016 cars
    1.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.2%, against 1.2% of all 2016 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £70–£150 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges. Uneven wear can point to tracking or suspension problems.

Better than most

Suspension arm bushes and joints: 0.8% here, against 6.1% of all 2016 cars. Shock absorbers: 2% here, against 4.3% of all 2016 cars.

By area

The share of 2016 Ford B-MAX MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    31% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Lights and electrics
    17% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Brakes
    16% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Suspension
    14% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    7% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Seats and seatbelts
    3% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

Looking at a Ford B-MAX?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2018688Tyres 29%
20175,779Tyres 29%
20159,815Tyres 33%
201412,875Tyres 35%
201314,520Suspension 36%
20122,877Suspension 36%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2016 Ford B-MAXs registered in 2016. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score