2006 Ford Fiesta 1.2L Petrol · CA06 MTO

A clear mechanical narrative emerges from the MOT history of this 2006 Ford Fiesta: a vehicle that has been presenting a slow but consistent pattern of advisories and occasional test failures, with no single component category yet dominating as a chronic failure point. Across the recorded tests from 2022 to 2026, the vehicle has been presented at MOT on a strict annual cycle and has ultimately passed each year, but only after sometimes failing on first attempt and returning later the same day or in a retest. The most recent test on 27 March 2026 produced a fail due to a nearside front position lamp not working, alongside an advisory for an offside front seat release that has remained inoperative across multiple consecutive tests, and an advisory for slight deterioration of the front exhaust flexi. Earlier failures in 2024 and 2023 were triggered by different but recurring defect categories: a jammed rear centre seat belt (flagged in both 2023 and 2024 as a major failure), ineffective windscreen wipers on the offside front, and again a non-functioning front position lamp. The underlying picture is one of minor electrical and trim deterioration accumulating over time, with seat belt, wiper, and lamp functionality repeatedly tripping the failure thresholds despite no single structural or braking issue escalating to a fail. The recorded mileage of 78,402 against a 2006 manufacture date indicates an average annual accumulation of roughly 3,900 miles, which is low for a vehicle of this age. This figure has crept up by only a few thousand miles between successive annual tests, suggesting either short-duration light use, periods of inactivity, or both. There are no gaps in the testing record across the four most recent cycles, so the vehicle has not been formally declared off the road (SORN) for any extended stretch, but the modest mileage progression means that consumable wear such as brake discs, pads, tyres, and suspension bushes will be influenced more by age-related deterioration than by use. The advisories recorded align with that interpretation: perished axle bushes, corroded brake pipe coverings, perished wiper blades, faded headlamp lenses, and slight oil leaks are all consistent with a low-mileage, age-led wear profile rather than high-mileage mechanical fatigue. For a prospective buyer, the priority components to evaluate physically are the items flagged repeatedly in the advisory record. The offside front seat release mechanism has been reported as inoperative across the 2023, 2025, and 2026 tests, which warrants checking that the seat back recline and fore-aft adjustment function correctly and that the seat cannot move unexpectedly under braking. The front exhaust flexi joint has been flagged in 2023, 2024, and 2026 as slightly deteriorated, so on a cold start listen for any ticking or escaping exhaust gases near the flexible section and inspect it visually for splits or soot staining. The nearside rear axle bush flagged as perished in 2024 should be checked by pushing the rear of the car laterally with the wheels off the ground if possible, or by driving over speed bumps and listening for clonks or knocking from the rear suspension. The steering rack dampness noted in 2024, combined with the slight power steering pipe seepage in 2025, suggests ageing hydraulic seals; check for fresh fluid around the rack and listen for a whining pump on full lock. The seat belt and wiper failures deserve specific physical verification before purchase. The central rear seat belt was recorded as jammed on both 2023 and 2024 tests, so confirm it extends and retracts smoothly across its full length and that the latch clicks firmly into the buckle. Both windscreen wiper failures related to the offside front blade not clearing effectively, which is often a perished rubber or weak arm spring issue rather than a motor fault, so inspect the blade condition and watch the wipe pattern on a wet screen. The repeated position lamp failures on the offside front indicate either bulb or connector issues at the front light cluster, which can mask underlying wiring corrosion worth tracing. The oil leak advisories from 2023 and 2025, combined with the damp steering rack, suggest a general ageing of engine and power steering seals; check the underside for fresh drips on a clean floor and monitor oil level over the first weeks of ownership. Finally, the offside rear brake pipe noted as corroded but covered in grease in 2023 should be inspected directly, as corrosion under protective coatings can progress unseen and may eventually warrant pipe replacement.