Used car guide

2012 Ford Ka: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2012 Ford Kas, from 16,208 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

16,208MOT tests in 2025
64%pass first time (all 2012 cars: 63%)
5,000typical miles a year
3.7×the usual rate for shock absorbers

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2012 Ford Kas than on all cars registered in 2012.

  • Shock absorbers3.7× usual
    Ford Ka
    24% All 2012 cars
    6.5%
    Rough price £150–£400

    At the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.

  • Exhaust system3.3× usual
    Ford Ka
    18.2% All 2012 cars
    5.5%
    Rough price £100–£500

    At the viewing: Listen for blowing or rattling from underneath at idle, and look for black soot around joints.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints1.7× usual
    Ford Ka
    17.4% All 2012 cars
    10.1%
    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.

  • Sub-frame1.7× usual
    Ford Ka
    8.4% All 2012 cars
    5%
    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.

  • Front strut mounts and bushes5.3× usual
    Ford Ka
    3.2% All 2012 cars
    0.6%
    Rough price £120–£400

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

Better than most

Rigid brake pipes: 2.1% here, against 5.5% of all 2012 cars. Drive shaft (CV) joints: 1.2% here, against 4.4% of all 2012 cars.

By area

The share of 2012 Ford Ka MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    55% 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.

  • Tyres
    33% 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
    24% 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
    21% 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 emissions
    19% 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.

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    10% of testsRough price £80–£600

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.

Looking at a Ford Ka?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20199,987Tyres 25%
201810,916Tyres 28%
201713,238Tyres 29%
20168,248Suspension 36%
201513,086Suspension 48%
201418,220Suspension 48%
201318,136Suspension 52%
201115,011Suspension 56%
201016,870Suspension 57%
200915,648Suspension 59%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2012 Ford Kas registered in 2012. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score