Part of the Ford Focus Mk4 (2018–2025) guide: best and worst years compared.
2023 Ford Focus: common problems and what to check
What gets flagged at MOT on 2023 Ford Focuss, from 979 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.
What gets flagged at MOT
The share of 2023 Ford Focus MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.
- Tyres13% 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.
- Brakes7% 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.
- Lights and electrics4% of testsRough price £10–£80
At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.
- Wipers, windscreen and mirrors2% of testsRough price £15–£250
At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.
- Suspension1% 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.
- Seats and seatbelts1% of testsRough price £80–£250
At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.
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.
If it needs doing: Timing belt (cambelt) change, about £300–£700 (often with the water pump). ClickMechanic
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Other years
| Year | MOT tests | Most flagged |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 13,516 | Tyres 25% |
| 2021 | 13,964 | Tyres 27% |
| 2020 | 34,531 | Tyres 29% |
| 2019 | 55,299 | Tyres 30% |
| 2018 | 47,253 | Tyres 31% |
| 2017 | 63,281 | Tyres 32% |
| 2016 | 63,333 | Tyres 32% |
| 2015 | 74,187 | Tyres 35% |
| 2014 | 72,222 | Tyres 36% |
| 2013 | 70,329 | Tyres 36% |
| 2012 | 64,335 | Suspension 40% |
| 2011 | 59,423 | Suspension 44% |
| 2010 | 49,596 | Suspension 49% |
| 2009 | 48,669 | Suspension 51% |
| 2008 | 39,020 | Suspension 54% |
| 2007 | 32,485 | Suspension 54% |
| 2006 | 23,095 | Suspension 54% |
| 2005 | 16,382 | Suspension 58% |
| 2004 | 11,949 | Suspension 59% |
| 2003 | 9,065 | Suspension 54% |
| 2002 | 7,099 | Suspension 56% |
| 2001 | 4,063 | Suspension 55% |
| 2000 | 1,784 | Suspension 59% |
Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2023 Ford Focuss registered in 2023. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score