Used car guide

2009 Ford Mondeo: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2009 Ford Mondeos, from 12,467 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

12,467MOT tests in 2025
58%pass first time (all 2009 cars: 58%)
8,400typical miles a year
5×the usual rate for suspension arm

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2009 Ford Mondeos than on all cars registered in 2009.

  • Suspension arm5× usual
    Ford Mondeo
    19.4% All 2009 cars
    3.9%
    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-frame2.1× usual
    Ford Mondeo
    16% All 2009 cars
    7.7%
    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.

  • Brake pads1.7× usual
    Ford Mondeo
    14.7% All 2009 cars
    8.7%
    Rough price £80–£180

    At the viewing: Listen for squealing or grinding when braking, and look through the wheel at how much pad is left.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints1.5× usual
    Ford Mondeo
    16.7% All 2009 cars
    11.1%
    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× usual
    Ford Mondeo
    5.8% All 2009 cars
    2.9%
    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.

Better than most

Rigid brake pipes: 1.6% here, against 7.5% of all 2009 cars. Drive shaft (CV) joints: 1.6% here, against 5.3% of all 2009 cars.

By area

The share of 2009 Ford Mondeo MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    57% 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
    40% 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.

  • Brakes
    33% 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 electrics
    32% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Exhaust and emissions
    15% 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 mirrors
    10% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

Looking at a Ford Mondeo?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20186,982Tyres 29%
201710,838Tyres 31%
201616,013Tyres 32%
201517,082Tyres 33%
201411,030Tyres 36%
201311,904Suspension 44%
201214,653Suspension 49%
201111,952Suspension 49%
201013,267Suspension 55%
200811,111Suspension 59%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2009 Ford Mondeos registered in 2009. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score