Used car guide · 1959–2026

Ford Escort common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Ford Escort, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 16,447 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

16,447MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model
44,110on the UK register

Pick the year

Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).

20262002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975197419731972197119701969196819601959

What usually goes wrong with a Ford Escort?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Ford Escort in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.

Common Ford Escort MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.

  • Drive shaft (CV) joints

    up to 2.6× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002.

    Rough price £60–£350 our estimate

    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.

  • Rust in key structural areas

    up to 3.3× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000.

    Rough price £80–£250 our estimate

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

  • Rust around suspension or steering mountings

    up to 2.8× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002.

    Rough price £100–£450 our estimate

    At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.

  • Body structure rust or damage

    up to 2.8× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 1999, 2001 and 2002.

    Rough price £150–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath and along the sills for flaky rust or fresh underseal hiding it.

  • Spring mounting prescribed areas

    up to 13.2× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2001 and 2002.

    Rough price £120–£400 our estimate

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

  • Load sensing valves

    up to 10.4× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2001 and 2002.

    Rough price £150–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

Ford Escort MOT pass rate by year

Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
200263%58% +5890
200162%60% +21,169
200057%61% -41,363
199959%63% -4642
199862%65% -31,312
199761%65% -41,640
199668%66% +21,744
199575%67% +81,312
199476%67% +91,012
199380%68% +121,056
199283%69% +14824
199178%71% +7785
199080%72% +82,698

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Ford Escort

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the drive shaft (cv) joints? (Flagged at MOT 2.6× as often on the Ford Escort as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the rust in key structural areas? (Flagged at MOT 3.3× as often on the Ford Escort as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the rust around suspension or steering mountings? (Flagged at MOT 2.8× as often on the Ford Escort as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Ford Escort?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score