2013 Ford Fiesta: common problems and what to check
What gets flagged at MOT on 2013 Ford Fiestas, from 109,733 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.
What stands out
Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2013 Ford Fiestas than on all cars registered in 2013.
- Ball joint3.3× usualFord Fiesta16.4% All 2013 cars5%Rough price £80–£200
At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.
- Swivel pins and bushes10.5× usualFord Fiesta8.4% All 2013 cars0.8%Rough price £120–£400
At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.
- Stop lamp2.6× usualFord Fiesta9.3% All 2013 cars3.6%Rough price £10–£80
At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.
- Coil springs1.6× usualFord Fiesta13.8% All 2013 cars8.7%Rough price £120–£300
At the viewing: Look behind each wheel for a snapped spring coil, and listen for a clunk or twang when turning the wheel lock to lock with the car stopped.
- Track rod end1.8× usualFord Fiesta8.8% All 2013 cars4.8%Rough price £80–£450
At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.
Suspension arm bushes and joints: 3.4% here, against 8.7% of all 2013 cars. Number plate lights: 1% here, against 6.1% of all 2013 cars.
By area
The share of 2013 Ford Fiesta MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.
- Suspension47% 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.
- Tyres35% 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 electrics24% of testsRough price £10–£80
At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.
- Brakes21% 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.
- Exhaust and emissions10% of testsRough price £100–£1,200
At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for engine or DPF warning lights.
- Wipers, windscreen and mirrors7% of testsRough price £15–£250
At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.
Known faults
Reported by owners, mechanics and buying guides for this model and age. Check which engine the car has, as some apply to one engine only.
- Timing belt that runs in oil (1.0 EcoBoost)1.0 EcoBoost petrol
The 1.0 EcoBoost’s timing belt sits in the engine oil. If oil changes are missed or the wrong oil is used, the belt can break down and shed bits that block the oil pickup, which can wreck the engine.
At the viewing: Ask for a full service history with regular oil changes, and whether the timing belt has been changed when Ford says it’s due.
- Coolant pipe that can split (early 1.0 EcoBoost)Early 1.0 EcoBoost petrol
On early 1.0 EcoBoost engines a small plastic coolant pipe could split. The leak can overheat the engine badly. Ford issued a fix.
At the viewing: Ask whether the coolant pipe fix was done, and check the coolant level is between the marks.
- PowerShift automatic gearboxAutomatic versions only
Automatic Fiestas with the PowerShift gearbox can give jerky changes, hesitate, or in bad cases lose drive. Repairs can be expensive.
At the viewing: If it’s an automatic, pull away gently from a standstill several times and drive in slow traffic. Any judder, clunk or hesitation is a warning sign.
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Other years
| Year | MOT tests | Most flagged |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 7,649 | Tyres 21% |
| 2020 | 20,223 | Tyres 30% |
| 2019 | 73,694 | Tyres 31% |
| 2018 | 92,914 | Tyres 31% |
| 2017 | 89,566 | Tyres 31% |
| 2016 | 112,880 | Suspension 34% |
| 2015 | 123,631 | Suspension 37% |
| 2014 | 120,169 | Suspension 42% |
| 2012 | 95,802 | Suspension 49% |
| 2011 | 81,013 | Suspension 48% |
| 2010 | 81,330 | Suspension 49% |
| 2009 | 84,681 | Suspension 51% |
| 2008 | 48,771 | Suspension 47% |
Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2013 Ford Fiestas registered in 2013. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score