2012 Ford Focus: common problems and what to check
What gets flagged at MOT on 2012 Ford Focuss, from 64,331 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 2012 Ford Focuss than on all cars registered in 2012.
- Suspension arm bushes and joints1.6× usualFord Focus16.2% All 2012 cars10.1%Rough price £100–£300
At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.
- Individual direction indicators2.4× usualFord Focus7.2% All 2012 cars3%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.
- Drive shaft (CV) joints1.8× usualFord Focus7.7% All 2012 cars4.4%Rough price £60–£350
At the viewing: Drive slowly on full steering lock in both directions and listen for clicking. Look for split rubber boots behind the front wheels.
- Headlamp aim1.8× usualFord Focus7% All 2012 cars3.9%Rough price £20–£60
At the viewing: Park facing a wall at night or in a garage and check both headlight beams sit level. Aim is a cheap adjustment.
- Sub-frame1.6× usualFord Focus7.9% All 2012 cars5%Rough price £300–£1,000
At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.
Number plate lights: 1% here, against 7.3% of all 2012 cars. Rigid brake pipes: 1.8% here, against 5.5% of all 2012 cars.
By area
The share of 2012 Ford Focus MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.
- Suspension40% 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.
- Tyres37% 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 electrics26% of testsRough price £10–£80
At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.
- Brakes24% 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 emissions8% 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.
- Driveshafts and joints8% of testsRough price £60–£350
At the viewing: On full steering lock, drive slowly and listen for clicking from the front wheels.
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. Missed or wrong-spec oil changes can make it break down and 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 due.
- Coolant pipe that can split (early 1.0 EcoBoost)Early 1.0 EcoBoost petrol
On early 1.0 EcoBoost Focuses a small plastic coolant pipe could split and overheat the engine. Ford issued a fix.
At the viewing: Ask whether the coolant pipe fix was done, and check the coolant level.
- PowerShift automatic gearboxAutomatic versions only
Expert buying guides suggest avoiding the PowerShift automatic on this Focus. Early versions especially were troublesome.
At the viewing: If it’s an automatic, ask for proof of gearbox fluid changes and test it in slow traffic for judder or hesitation.
- Broken front coil springs
Front springs can snap. You may hear a clonk when turning the wheel.
At the viewing: With the car stopped, turn the steering from lock to lock and listen for a clonk or twang. Springs should be replaced in pairs.
- Rattle from the flywheel
A rattle as you switch the engine off can mean the dual-mass flywheel is failing, which is a big job alongside the clutch.
At the viewing: Switch the engine off and listen for a rattle. Check the clutch doesn’t bite very high.
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Other years
| Year | MOT tests | Most flagged |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 8,521 | Tyres 27% |
| 2020 | 30,344 | Tyres 30% |
| 2019 | 53,319 | Tyres 30% |
| 2018 | 47,246 | Tyres 31% |
| 2017 | 63,270 | Tyres 32% |
| 2016 | 63,324 | Tyres 32% |
| 2015 | 74,174 | Tyres 35% |
| 2014 | 72,213 | Tyres 36% |
| 2013 | 70,325 | Tyres 36% |
| 2011 | 59,423 | Suspension 44% |
| 2010 | 49,593 | Suspension 49% |
| 2009 | 48,664 | Suspension 51% |
| 2008 | 39,015 | Suspension 54% |
Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2012 Ford Focuss registered in 2012. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score