2011 Ford Fiesta 1.4L Diesel · DS11 WKW

A fifteen-year-old Ford Fiesta with 144,825 miles recorded across six consecutive annual tests has passed every examination since 2019, but the advisory pattern beneath that unbroken pass streak tells a story of gradual, multi-component wear rather than outright mechanical decline. The most recent test on 13 July 2026 recorded a pass with a minor windscreen damage note to the offside lower section and an oil leak advisory, continuing a theme that has emerged repeatedly in recent years. Across the 2020, 2021, and 2026 tests, oil leaks have been flagged on three separate occasions, all classified as not excessive, which suggests a persistent seepage that has neither deteriorated to failure point nor been rectified between tests. Steering, braking, and suspension advisories have likewise surfaced incrementally: front brake disc and pad wear in 2019, front anti-roll bar bush wear in 2025, and slight steering rack free play on the offside inner rack end in 2024. The trajectory from this evidence is one of slow, accumulating wear on consumable and serviceable components, with no test failures or dangerous defects recorded throughout the documented history. Mileage accumulation across the recorded period reflects a fairly typical annual usage profile for a car of this age, averaging around 9,655 miles per year, which is broadly consistent with regular commuter or mixed-use driving rather than long-term storage or exceptionally heavy motorway mileage. The testing record runs consecutively from 2019 through 2026 with no apparent lay-up gaps, indicating the vehicle has remained in active service throughout. At 144,825 recorded miles on a 2011 Fiesta, expectations should be calibrated accordingly: clutch, gearbox synchros, water, and exhaust components will have covered substantial real-world wear, and the front brake discs and pads flagged in 2019 will almost certainly have been replaced at least once since. The continuous annual testing pattern, combined with steady mileage progression, means there is no reason to suspect an hour-clock discrepancy, though an HPI check would still be prudent to confirm the odometer reading against any unrecorded periods. For a prospective buyer, the steering and suspension advisories warrant particular physical attention during a test drive. The 2024 advisory noted slight free play at the offside inner steering rack end, and the 2025 test recorded anti-roll bar pin or bush wear on the nearside front. On the road, listen for clonking or knocking noises from the front end over speed humps and uneven surfaces, particularly from the nearside, and feel for any vagueness, knocking, or self-centring issues through the steering wheel, which could indicate the rack end wear has progressed since the advisory was raised. Inspect the offside front inner track rod boot for splits and grease loss, and check the front anti-roll bar drop links and bushes for physical play by hand once the wheel is raised. The oil leak advisories, recorded three times in recent years, suggest a persistent seepage that has not been repaired; before purchase, inspect the engine underside for the source, checking the sump, rocker cover gasket, and oil filter housing for fresh staining, and examine the exhaust downpipe and catalytic converter for oil contamination, which would indicate a worsening leak requiring prompt attention. Brake condition and tyre wear represent the other specific areas to evaluate, given the pattern documented in the MOT history. The 2019 test recorded both front brake discs and pads as wearing thin, and given the mileage covered since, replacement is highly likely but should be physically confirmed by inspecting pad material thickness and measuring disc wear with a micrometer or visual lip check. On test drive, listen for any binding caliper symptoms such as pulling to one side under braking, a hot wheel hub after driving, or a grinding or pulsing sensation through the brake pedal, which would suggest seized caliper slides or warped discs. The repeated tyre advisories for edge wear on both nearside and offside fronts in 2021 and the offside front in 2024 point toward either consistent alignment geometry or suspension geometry contributing to uneven shoulder wear, so current tyres should be inspected for feathering or one-sided wear and a four-wheel alignment measurement considered. Finally, the offside lower windscreen damage noted in 2026 should be checked visually to ensure it remains outside the driver's primary line of sight and has not propagated into a spreading crack, which would risk a future failure.