Diesel Ford B-Max: MOT pass rate

70.6% of diesel Ford B-Max pass the MOT first time, measured across 8,577 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 73,554.

Diesel against the other Ford B-Max versions

Why the fuel type changes the number

Diesels carry DPFs, EGR valves and stricter smoke limits, so emissions and exhaust faults account for failures petrol cars never see.

On the Ford B-Max specifically, petrol is the strongest at 79.1%, and this diesel version sits 7.2 points below the 77.8% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

The diesel Ford B-Max fails more often than the model average, so budget for the items that catch this fuel type and treat a fresh MOT as worth paying for. Buying a damaged one? run it through the analyzer, check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.

Mileage is part of the answer

The average diesel Ford B-Max had covered 73,554 miles at test, against 52,523 for the petrol. That is a shade above the middle of the range, still ordinary wear rather than a red flag, but worth checking against the service book for the car's age.

Fuel type and mileage are tangled together: diesels are usually bought by higher-mileage drivers, so some of any gap between fuels is the miles rather than the engine. The per-year figures on the Ford B-Max page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Most common MOT failures on a diesel Ford B-Max

1. Smoke opacity levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limit, 4% of tests (14.8x the national rate for this defect)
2. A stub axle swivel pin and/or bush excessively worn, 1.5% of tests (10.34x the national rate for this defect)
3. A tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative, 1.4% of tests (5.05x the national rate for this defect)
4. Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 6.3% of tests (4.64x the national rate for this defect)
5. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 2.8% of tests (2.11x the national rate for this defect)
6. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 3.9% of tests (1.7x the national rate for this defect)
7. A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps, 1.5% of tests (1.65x the national rate for this defect)
8. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 8% of tests (1.6x the national rate for this defect)
9. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 2.5% of tests (1.51x the national rate for this defect)
10. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 2.5% of tests (1.3x the national rate for this defect)

From 8,615 DVSA-tracked diesel Ford B-Max tests, 2024, split out from the Ford B-Max's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 5.93% of these flagged defects as "dangerous", against 5.11% nationally. See which fuel type fails on the most dangerous defects nationally for how that compares across the whole fleet.

Most common MOT advisories on a diesel Ford B-Max

Flagged but doesn't fail the car, a different list from the failures above.

1. A seat belt webbing or flexible stalk significantly stretched or weakened, 3% of tests (7.8x the national rate for this defect)
2. A stub axle swivel pin and/or bush excessively worn, 4.5% of tests (7.01x the national rate for this defect), also fails
3. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 2.5% of tests (1.88x the national rate for this defect), also fails
4. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 7.4% of tests (1.56x the national rate for this defect), also fails
5. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 36.1% of tests (1.36x the national rate for this defect)
6. A tyre seriously damaged, 14% of tests
7. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 9.4% of tests
8. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 9.3% of tests, also fails
9. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 8.1% of tests
10. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 3.5% of tests

From 8,615 DVSA-tracked diesel Ford B-Max tests, 2024.

Other Ford B-Max fuel types

• Petrol Ford B-Max - 79.1%

All Ford B-Max MOT data · Every model