Skip to main content

Ford FIESTA - 1998

434.5 faults per 100 tests
Year average for all cars of 1998 is 342.9 faults per 100 tests
Dataset: MOT tests in Great Britain (period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-09-10) for Ford FIESTA, model year 1998. Sample size: 1,239 cars, 2,638 tests and 11,463 recorded faults.
0%
More faults compared to the average car of same model year

Quick summary

Total: 1,239 cars

The 1998 Ford Fiesta has a higher overall defect rate, with 435 defects per 100 vehicles, compared to the average of 339 defects for cars of the same year, reflecting a 28% increase. Notably, the Fiesta shows significantly better performance in steering, with a defect rate of 10% compared to the average of 25%. However, it struggles in several categories, particularly brakes, where its defect rate is 221%, well above the average of 149%. Mileage trends indicate that defects increase with age, especially in the higher mileage brackets, suggesting that older vehicles may require more attention.

Cars by mileage segment

Total: 1,239 cars

More model years for Ford FIESTA

1983 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

Other models from Ford

Ford ALLIED Ford B-MAX Ford C-MAX Ford CAPRI Ford ECOSPORT Ford EDGE Ford ESCORT Ford FIESTA Ford FOCUS Ford FUSION Ford GALAXY Ford GRAND C-MAX Ford KA Ford KUGA Ford MONDEO Ford MUSTANG Ford MUSTANG MACH-E Ford PUMA Ford RANGER Ford S-MAX Ford SIERRA Ford TOURNEO CONNECT Ford TRANSIT

Categories

Brakes
▼ 48.3% worse
221.5 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 149.4 / 100 tests
  • Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
  • Brake disc or drum: insecure, fractured or otherwise likely to fail
  • Service brake efficiency: below minimum requirement
  • Flexible brake hose: excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched
  • Brake hose ferrules: excessively corroded
Steering
▲ 62.5% better
9.6 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 25.6 / 100 tests
  • Power steering pipe, hose or wiring: excessively damaged or corroded
  • A steering ball joint: with excessive wear or free play
  • Power steering fluid leaking or system malfunctioning
  • Power steering fluid leaking or system malfunctioning
  • Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover: damaged or deteriorated
Visibility
▼ 26.2% worse
33.2 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 26.3 / 100 tests
  • Wiper blade: missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
  • Obligatory mirror or device: slightly damaged or loose
  • 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
  • Wiper blade: defective
Lights & Electrics
▲ 19.0% better
54.0 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 66.7 / 100 tests
  • Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements
  • The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
  • Lamp: missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than a half not functioning
  • A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative: when rear registration plate has 2 or more lamps or light sources
  • Stop lamp(s): all missing or inoperative
Wheels & Suspension
▼ 45.3% worse
374.5 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 257.8 / 100 tests
  • A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing: excessively worn
  • Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
  • 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
  • The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm … is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
Body/Structure
▼ 31.9% worse
106.2 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 80.5 / 100 tests
  • A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot: severely deteriorated
  • Exhaust system has a major leak or is insecure
  • Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that: the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced
  • Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that: the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced
  • A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot: missing, split, insecure or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt
Equipment
▼ 43.1% worse
29.2 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 20.4 / 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
  • A seat belt: webbing or flexible stalk significantly stretched or weakened
  • A seat belt: or flexible stalk damaged
  • 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
  • A seat belt:
Other
▲ 30.7% better
40.9 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 59.0 / 100 tests
  • Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer
  • Emissions levels exceed default limits
  • Fluid: leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
  • Emissions test unable to be completed
  • Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer’s specified limits

Fault rate by mileage segment

Model    Year average
0 589 0–31,000 mi 31,000–62,000 62,000–93,000 93,000–124,000 124,000+
* Metric: faults per 100 tests.

Most common faults (Top 10)

A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing: excessively worn
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 1,234
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 706
A tyre: with a lump, bulge or tear … or with cords exposed or damaged
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 586
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 534
The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm … is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 472
Flexible brake hose: excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 458
The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm … is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
FAIL
Occurrences: 377
Fluid: leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 334
A spring: or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 322
Brake disc or drum: insecure, fractured or otherwise likely to fail
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 286

Serious faults (Top 10)

The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm … is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
FAIL
Occurrences: 377
A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing: excessively worn
FAIL
Occurrences: 269
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot: missing, split, insecure or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt
FAIL
Occurrences: 198
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
FAIL
Occurrences: 150
Service brake efficiency: below minimum requirement
FAIL
Occurrences: 142
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: 128
Parking brake efficiency: below minimum requirement
FAIL
Occurrences: 118
Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that: the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced
FAIL
Occurrences: 103
Flexible brake hose: excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched
FAIL
Occurrences: 85
Wiper blade: missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
FAIL
Occurrences: 84