Ford ESCORT - 1997
313.4 faults per 100 tests
Year average for all cars of 1997 is 338.4 faults per 100 tests
Dataset: MOT tests in Great Britain (period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-09-10) for Ford ESCORT, model year 1997.
Sample size: 607 cars, 1,213 tests and 3,802 recorded faults.
0%
Less faults compared to the average car of same model year
Less faults compared to the average car of same model year
Quick summary
Total: 607 cars
The 1997 Ford Escort demonstrates a lower overall defect rate compared to the yearly average, with 313 defects per 100 vehicles, which is 6% better than the average of 335 defects. Mileage trends indicate that the defect rate increases with mileage, particularly in the higher mileage categories, yet the Escort shows a significant drop in defects related to steering, performing much better than average in this area. Overall, while tyre wear may be a common issue, the Escort stands out positively in steering defects, highlighting its reliability in this specific category compared to other vehicles of the same year.
Cars by mileage segment
Total: 607 cars
Categories
Brakes
▼ 11.3% worse
157.0 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 141.1 / 100 tests
- Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
- Brake disc or drum: insecure, fractured or otherwise likely to fail
- Brakes imbalance across an axle such that: the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle. Or in the case of testing on the road, the vehicle deviates excessively from a straight lin
- Flexible brake hose: excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched
- Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
Steering
▲ 58.0% better
11.5 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 27.4 / 100 tests
- Power steering fluid leaking or system malfunctioning
- A steering ball joint: with excessive wear or free play
- A steering ball joint: with excessive wear or free play
- Excessive radial movement between the top of the steering column and the shaft indicating an excessively worn top bearing
- Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover: missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc.
Visibility
▼ 6.0% worse
26.7 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 25.2 / 100 tests
- Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured: but not adversely affecting driver’s view
- Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
- Obligatory mirror or device: slightly damaged or loose
- Wiper blade: missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
- Wiper blade: defective
Lights & Electrics
▲ 16.5% better
54.7 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 65.5 / 100 tests
- A lamp adversely affected by the operation of any other lamp
- A battery insecure: but not likely to fall from carrier
- A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative: when rear registration plate has only one lamp or all lamps not working
- Lamp: missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than a half not functioning
- The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
Wheels & Suspension
▲ 14.8% better
213.5 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 250.7 / 100 tests
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
- A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing: excessively worn
- The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm … is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
- A tyre: with a lump, bulge or tear … or with cords exposed or damaged
- A spring: or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
Body/Structure
▼ 3.3% worse
86.6 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 83.8 / 100 tests
- Exhaust system has a major leak or is insecure
- A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot: missing, split, insecure or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt
- Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that: the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced
- A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot: severely deteriorated
- Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that: the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced
Equipment
▲ 11.8% better
19.5 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 22.1 / 100 tests
- is significantly reduced or The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a ’prescribed area’): inadequately repaired
- Audible warning:
- is significantly reduced or The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a ’prescribed area’): inadequately repaired
- An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction
- A seat belt: or flexible stalk damaged
Other
▲ 5.9% better
57.4 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 61.0 / 100 tests
- Fluid: leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
- Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer
- Emissions test unable to be completed
- Emissions levels exceed default limits
- Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer’s specified limits
Fault rate by mileage segment
Model
Year average
* Metric: faults per 100 tests.
Most common faults (Top 10)
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 314
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 184
A tyre: with a lump, bulge or tear … or with cords exposed or damaged
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 163
A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing: excessively worn
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 150
Fluid: leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 146
A spring: or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 135
The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm … is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 131
The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm … is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
FAIL
Occurrences: 123
Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that: the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 108
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot: severely deteriorated
MINOR
Occurrences: 97
Serious faults (Top 10)
The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm … is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
FAIL
Occurrences: 123
Emissions levels exceed default limits
FAIL
Occurrences: 61
Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer
FAIL
Occurrences: 53
Brakes imbalance across an axle such that: the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle. Or in the case of testing on the road, the vehicle deviates excessively from a straight lin
FAIL
Occurrences: 53
A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing: excessively worn
FAIL
Occurrences: 52
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot: missing, split, insecure or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt
FAIL
Occurrences: 50
Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer’s specified limits
FAIL
Occurrences: 46
Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that: the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced
FAIL
Occurrences: 41
Wiper blade: missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
FAIL
Occurrences: 36
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative: when rear registration plate has only one lamp or all lamps not working
FAIL
Occurrences: 36