2013 Ford Fiesta 1.2L Petrol · CU63 OOD

A pattern of front-end steering and suspension wear has been the defining mechanical theme in this Fiesta's MOT history, with the most recent pass on 26 January 2026 standing as a clean result after several years of accumulating advisories on the same components. From the 2021 test onwards, near-side and off-side front track rod end ball joints have shown slight play, the near-side front lower suspension arm rear bush was flagged in 2024 as worn, and the 2025 test recorded both renewed track rod play and a severely deteriorated off-side front suspension arm ball joint dust cover. The earlier 2020 failure also centred on the front end, with both front tyres found below the legal 1.6mm tread depth in a dangerous condition. Read together, these records point to a chassis that has been working hard at its front axle and is now at the stage where rubber bushes, ball joint gaiters, and steering linkages are the limiting factor rather than any major structural issue. Annual mileage across thirteen years sits at roughly 7,043 miles, which is close to typical for the age and suggests steady rather than extreme use. The testing cadence has been broadly annual since 2019, with no multi-year gaps that would indicate a long lay-up, and the odometer has progressed in a consistent manner between tests. Two recorded tests in September 2020 (a fail followed immediately by a pass on the same day) are a normal pattern where a vehicle is presented, fails on fast consumables, and is retreaded and re-presented. There is nothing in the mileage profile to suggest the car has been driven unusually hard or left standing for prolonged periods, so the wear pattern observed in the advisories is best interpreted as the natural ageing of a high-touch area of the car rather than evidence of abuse or neglect. For a test drive, particular attention should be paid to the front suspension and steering, given the repeated advisories on track rod ends, the lower arm rear bush, and the ball joint dust cover. Listen for clonks or knocks from the front wheels when traversing speed humps, rough tarmac, or potholes, and feel for any looseness or rattle through the steering wheel that would suggest the track rod joints are now beyond the slight play stage. On a quiet stretch of road, check for uneven tyre wear across the front axle, as both inner and outer edges are likely to have been loaded if the geometry has been drifting, and inspect the off-side front ball joint gaiter for any splits or grease loss, since the 2025 advisory noted the rubber was already severely deteriorated and these covers can fail quickly once the surface starts to break down. Brake feel is another area worth probing because the 2024 test recorded the near-side front service brake as binding slightly but not excessively, and the 2025 test also noted a defective parking brake lever that still functioned. On the test drive, the car should roll freely when the brake is released, with no residual drag pulling it to one side, and the handbrake should hold the vehicle on a modest incline without creeping. Given the front tyres were found below the legal limit in 2020 and the off-side rear picked up a nail on the same date, a thorough check of all four tyres for age, tread depth, and sidewall damage is worthwhile, and any uneven rear wear would warrant a closer look at the rear axle. The remainder of the recorded defects are minor in nature and consistent with a thirteen-year-old vehicle of this mileage, but the front-end advisories form a clear cluster that a buyer should price in for fairly imminent attention.