Ford Fusion: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Ford Fusion fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 8.7 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 52,814 individual Ford Fusion tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 68% first-time pass rate means roughly 32 in every 100 Ford Fusions presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is worse than average, so budget for remedial work and treat a fresh 12-month MOT as a genuine selling point rather than a given. The average Ford Fusion tested had covered 86,562 miles and was built around 2007.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Ford Fusion sits 8.7 points below the national average, ranked 1,803 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, assume the mechanical side needs more than the visible accident damage, and pad your repair estimate accordingly.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific Ford Fusion rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see the median recorded closing bid for a damaged Ford Fusion: £525 at UK salvage auction, from 4 ended listings, not independently confirmed sales.

Most common MOT failures on a Ford Fusion

1. An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 3.5% of tests (7.99x the national rate for this defect)
2. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 7.8% of tests (7.26x the national rate for this defect)
3. Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 5.4% of tests (4x the national rate for this defect)
4. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 7% of tests (3.8x the national rate for this defect)
5. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 2.1% of tests (3.47x the national rate for this defect)
6. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 5.7% of tests (2.42x the national rate for this defect)
7. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 2.3% of tests (2.3x the national rate for this defect)
8. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 2% of tests (2.14x the national rate for this defect)
9. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 3.7% of tests (1.95x the national rate for this defect)
10. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 2.1% of tests (1.6x the national rate for this defect)

From 52,769 DVSA-tracked Ford Fusion tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 3.39% of these flagged Ford Fusion defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Ford Fusion

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a Ford Fusion before it actually fails on it.

1. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 35.5% of tests (5.74x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
2. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 6.9% of tests (4.53x the national rate for this advisory)
3. Product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity or changes emitted colour to other than white or yellow, 4.7% of tests (4.22x the national rate for this advisory)
4. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 5.5% of tests (3.99x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
5. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 14.1% of tests (2.98x the national rate for this advisory)
6. A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded, 3.3% of tests (2.61x the national rate for this advisory)
7. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 6.4% of tests (2.41x the national rate for this advisory)
8. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 5.8% of tests (2.04x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
9. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 11.1% of tests (1.99x the national rate for this advisory)
10. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 7.8% of tests (1.51x the national rate for this advisory)

From 52,769 DVSA-tracked Ford Fusion tests, 2024.

Ford Fusion pass rate by model year

From its 2002 to its 2012 model year, the Ford Fusion's first-time pass rate has risen 16.5 points, from 63.4% to 79.9%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each Ford Fusion year:

• 2002 Ford Fusion - 63.4% first-time pass, 519 tests
• 2003 Ford Fusion - 63% first-time pass, 3,735 tests
• 2004 Ford Fusion - 63.8% first-time pass, 4,125 tests
• 2005 Ford Fusion - 64.9% first-time pass, 4,626 tests
• 2006 Ford Fusion - 64.2% first-time pass, 6,697 tests
• 2007 Ford Fusion - 68.3% first-time pass, 7,313 tests
• 2008 Ford Fusion - 69.4% first-time pass, 7,979 tests
• 2009 Ford Fusion - 71.1% first-time pass, 8,422 tests
• 2010 Ford Fusion - 72.9% first-time pass, 5,691 tests
• 2011 Ford Fusion - 77.3% first-time pass, 2,528 tests
• 2012 Ford Fusion - 79.9% first-time pass, 812 tests

Ford Fusion by fuel type

The Ford Fusion's two most-tested fuel types split by 4 points: petrol passes first time 69.3% of the time (40,407 tests) against 65.3% for diesel (12,068 tests).

• Petrol Ford Fusion - 69.3% first-time pass, 40,407 tests
• Diesel Ford Fusion - 65.3% first-time pass, 12,068 tests

Other Ford models

• Ford Fiesta - 71.7%
• Ford Focus - 74.4%
• Ford Transit - 67.6%
• Ford Kuga - 82.4%
• Ford Mondeo - 72.2%
• Ford Ka - 72.2%
• Ford Transit Connect - 72%
• Ford Ranger - 76.9%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Citroen Relay - 68.2%
• Saab 9-3 - 68.1%
• Fiat Qubo - 68.1%
• Honda Accord - 68%
• Volkswagen Caravelle - 68%
• Ssangyong Musso - 68%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
• What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
• Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences
• Do you need an HPI check on a car you know is a write-off?

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate