Used car guide

2003 Ford Mondeo: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2003 Ford Mondeos, from 1,669 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

1,669MOT tests in 2025
55%pass first time (all 2003 cars: 59%)
5,000typical miles a year
1.7×the usual rate for engine oil leaks

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2003 Ford Mondeos than on all cars registered in 2003.

  • Engine oil leaks1.7× usual
    Ford Mondeo
    27% All 2003 cars
    16.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.7%, against 0.4% of all 2003 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £80–£600 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and where the car is usually parked for fresh oil. Ask whether the leak has been looked at.

  • Sub-frame2.5× usual
    Ford Mondeo
    14.1% All 2003 cars
    5.6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.7%, against 0.3% of all 2003 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

  • Sub-frame bushes11.3× usual
    Ford Mondeo
    6.8% All 2003 cars
    0.6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.2%, against 0% of all 2003 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

  • Seat belts4.2× usual
    Ford Mondeo
    7.6% All 2003 cars
    1.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.9%, against 0.6% of all 2003 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.

Better than most

Suspension arm bushes and joints: 3.2% here, against 8.7% of all 2003 cars. Ball joint: 2.6% here, against 6.3% of all 2003 cars.

By area

The share of 2003 Ford Mondeo MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Brakes
    52% 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
    48% 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.

  • Lights and electrics
    39% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • 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.

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    28% 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.

  • Exhaust and emissions
    14% 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.

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20211,180Tyres 26%
20202,240Tyres 29%
20194,379Tyres 28%
20186,983Tyres 29%
201710,841Tyres 31%
201616,015Tyres 32%
201517,086Tyres 33%
201411,030Suspension 36%
201311,904Suspension 44%
201214,654Suspension 49%
201111,953Suspension 49%
201013,267Suspension 55%
200912,469Suspension 57%
200811,111Suspension 59%
20078,468Suspension 56%
20065,464Brakes 51%
20054,495Brakes 54%
20042,864Brakes 52%
20021,296Brakes 51%
20011,137Brakes 51%
2000566Suspension 48%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2003 Ford Mondeos registered in 2003. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score