Diesel Ford Ka: MOT pass rate

60.1% of diesel Ford Kas pass the MOT first time, measured across 2,212 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 88,999.

Diesel against the other Ford Ka 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 Ka specifically, petrol is the strongest at 72.8%, and this diesel version sits 12.6 points below the 72.7% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

The diesel Ford Ka 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 Ka had covered 88,999 miles at test, against 56,305 for the petrol. That is above average, the point where suspension bushes, drop links and exhaust corrosion start showing up as advisories before they become failures.

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 Ka page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Most common MOT failures on a diesel Ford Ka

1. A shock absorber bush excessively worn, 5.1% of tests (26.5x the national rate for this defect)
2. Parking brake inoperative on one side, 4.9% of tests (8.21x the national rate for this defect)
3. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 7.5% of tests (7.94x the national rate for this defect)
4. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 2.5% of tests (7.19x the national rate for this defect)
5. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 7.2% of tests (5.52x the national rate for this defect)
6. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 15.8% of tests (3.15x the national rate for this defect)
7. Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 3.8% of tests (2.77x the national rate for this defect)
8. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 5.7% of tests (2.54x the national rate for this defect)
9. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 3.2% of tests (1.93x the national rate for this defect)
10. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 3.2% of tests (1.67x the national rate for this defect)

From 2,228 DVSA-tracked diesel Ford Ka tests, 2024, split out from the Ford Ka's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 4.88% 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 Ka

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

1. A shock absorber bush excessively worn, 5% of tests (10.55x the national rate for this defect), also fails
2. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 34% of tests (7.19x the national rate for this defect)
3. A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mounting, 6.3% of tests (5.89x the national rate for this defect)
4. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 13.9% of tests (3.54x the national rate for this defect), also fails
5. A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded, 3.9% of tests (3.07x the national rate for this defect)
6. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 16.9% of tests (3.04x the national rate for this defect)
7. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 14.3% of tests (2.76x the national rate for this defect), also fails
8. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 29.7% of tests (2.22x the national rate for this defect), also fails
9. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 3% of tests (2.16x the national rate for this defect)
10. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 3.5% of tests (1.77x the national rate for this defect)

From 2,228 DVSA-tracked diesel Ford Ka tests, 2024.

Other Ford Ka fuel types

• Petrol Ford Ka - 72.8%

All Ford Ka MOT data · Every model