2012 Ford KA 1.2L Petrol · BG62 XCD

This 2012 Ford KA failed its most recent MOT on 2024-11-01 (just four days before the subsequent pass), with multiple suspension and exhaust issues flagged—some significantly worse than in previous years. The recurring pattern is clear: progressive corrosion of coil springs (front and rear), increasing wear on suspension arms, bushes, and ball joints, and persistent rear shock absorber problems—including reduced damping and oil misting. By November 2024, the nearside front ball joint was “excessively worn,” and both lower suspension arms showed “almost excessive” wear on pins/bushes—indicating the suspension is nearing a critical stage. The rear axle was already corroded in 2023, and by 2024, both front and rear coil springs showed heavy corrosion on both sides. Exhaust corrosion has also worsened, with clamps “corroding away” and a minor leak persisting across two tests. Tyre wear is consistently an issue, with nearside rear tyres repeatedly close to the legal limit (3mm in 2024, 2mm in 2021), and offside front tyres showing cracking and edge wear. Low mileage for its age—60,038 miles over 14 years (≈4,300 miles/year)—suggests light or infrequent use. This can be a double-edged sword: less wear on moving parts, but potential degradation of rubber components (e.g., bushes, tyres, suspension mounts) and metal fatigue from long periods of inactivity, especially if stored outdoors or in damp conditions. The MOT history doesn’t show sudden spikes in mileage, but the speed of deterioration in suspension and corrosion issues over just two years (2023–2024) implies the car may have been neglected or stored poorly. The most urgent concerns are suspension integrity—especially the nearside front ball joint and lower arm bushes—and structural rust on the rear axle and springs.