2009 Ford Fiesta Style 60 1.2L Petrol · AA09 CLA

The mechanical story of this 2009 Ford Fiesta centres on a series of structural and safety-related failures that briefly interrupted an otherwise consistent annual testing pattern. Over the eight recorded MOT events spanning 2020 to 2025, the vehicle has alternated between clean passes and isolated failure points, with two test sessions showing no recorded defects despite the outcome status. The most recent event on 22 August 2025 returned a pass with no advisories, suggesting the immediate safety items were addressed after the brief failure recorded eight days earlier on 14 August 2025. However, the August 2023 test is more revealing: a track rod end ball joint with excessive play, a non-functioning offside stop lamp, and a major exhaust leak all resulted in failure, indicating that wear items on the steering linkage and exhaust system had reached a point of immediate concern. Combined with the cluster of advisories raised in December 2021, the record points to a vehicle undergoing normal age-related deterioration on suspension, braking, and exhaust components rather than any single catastrophic fault. At 101,091 miles over seventeen years, the Fiesta has averaged roughly 5,947 miles per year, which sits well below typical mileage for a vehicle of this age. This relatively low annual accumulation suggests either genuinely light usage or extended periods of inactivity, and either scenario carries mechanical implications. Lower-mileage cars often show accelerated corrosion on undersealed components, brake discs can develop severe surface pitting from infrequent use rather than wear, and rubber elements such as suspension bushes, gaiters, and flexible exhaust sections can deteriorate through age and oxidation even when the odometer remains static. The recorded tests cluster around annual intervals with no significant multi-year gaps, so there is no evidence of a long off-road lay-up that would typically trigger specific advisories around brakes seizing or tyre degradation, but the age itself means material fatigue is a realistic consideration regardless of the modest mileage figure. A prospective buyer should focus the pre-purchase inspection on the components flagged in the 2023 failure and 2021 advisories. The track rod end ball joint that failed for excessive play in 2023 is a wearing item with no fixed replacement interval, and on a test drive any clonking or knocking from the front suspension over uneven surfaces, vague or wandering steering at speed, or uneven tyre wear across the front axle would warrant immediate further inspection. The exhaust system showed both a major leak in 2023 and general deterioration in 2021, so listening for blowing or ticking noises from underneath on start-up, checking for black soot deposits around joints and the rear box, and inspecting the mounting rubbers for perishing would be sensible precautions given the documented history. The 2021 advisories also noted pitted front brake discs on both sides and corroded rear coil springs, and although the subsequent tests passed cleanly, these items do not self-repair. On a test drive, any vibration through the brake pedal, judder under heavy braking, or a harsh ride quality over bumps that suggests compromised spring integrity would align with the wear pattern already recorded. Beyond the flagged components, a thorough inspection should include close visual examination of the rear suspension springs for any progression of the corrosion noted in 2021, as coil spring failure on a laden rear axle can cause a sudden drop in ride height and affect handling. The brake discs flagged as pitted in 2021 should be measured for remaining thickness and checked for lipping at the outer edge, since pitted surfaces reduce braking efficiency in wet conditions and can lead to pad wear unevenness. Steering play, wheel bearing rumble, and any signs of fluid leakage from the engine or transmission should also be assessed, as a seventeen-year-old vehicle with this mileage profile will inevitably show age-related seals and gaskets reaching the end of their service life. The MOT record does not establish mechanical soundness or reliability, only that specific items were tested and either met or fell below the minimum standard at the time, so any purchase decision should rest on a physical inspection by a competent mechanic and a careful test drive rather than the documentary history alone.