2012 Ford Fiesta 1.4L Diesel · FN12 GDY

A clean and consistent MOT record defines this fourteen year old Ford Fiesta, with three passes and two earlier failures all showing no recorded advisories or defects. The most recent test on 26 February 2026 was a pass with a clean sheet, following a retest ten days earlier after an initial failure which was presumably remedied without any advisories being logged. The absence of any documented component wear across the entire testing history is unusual for a car of this age and mileage, suggesting that either items subject to gradual wear have not yet reached advisory thresholds or that routine maintenance has been sufficient to keep them within MOT pass criteria. A prospective buyer should nonetheless be cautious, because a perfectly clean MOT record on a higher mileage vehicle can occasionally mask transient issues that did not present on the day of testing or were addressed immediately prior. With 96,736 miles recorded against a fourteen year lifespan, this Fiesta averages roughly 6,910 miles per year, which is broadly in line with typical usage for a vehicle of its age and class. The continuity of annual tests from 2024 through 2026, with the two failures in 2025 and 2026 each followed by a swift retest pass, indicates the car has remained in regular active use rather than being laid up for extended periods. There are no extended gaps in the testing history that would suggest dormancy-related concerns such as seized brakes, perished hoses, or deteriorated fuel system components. That said, the mileage places this vehicle firmly in the zone where major wear items including clutch assemblies, suspension bushes, anti-roll bar links, and exhaust mounting rubbers typically begin to demand attention, even if the statutory test has not yet flagged them. For a buyer considering this Fiesta, the absence of recorded advisories means there is no specific component history to investigate, but a careful physical and dynamic inspection remains essential. On a test drive, pay particular attention to the front suspension for any knocking or clonking over uneven surfaces, as Fiesta models of this generation are known for premature wear of the lower wishbone bushes, anti-roll bar drop links, and front coil springs. Listen for any clonking or squealing from the front brakes during low speed stops, and feel for any pulling to one side, vibration through the steering wheel, or a soft or spongy brake pedal that could indicate binding calipers or unevenly worn brake discs. Inspect the rear axle and subframe mounting areas for any surface corrosion, particularly around the jacking points and suspension turrets, as well as under the wheel arches for bubbling paintwork that could indicate hidden rust. Given that the recorded mileage is approaching the upper end of normal for a car of this age, it would also be prudent to check for any signs of excessive oil consumption, transmission whine or crunching during gear changes, and to verify the condition and date of the timing belt if fitted to this engine variant. Examine all tyres for even wear across the tread, as uneven front tyre wear can point to worn suspension geometry components that have not yet been flagged on test. Finally, confirm that the two recent failures and their subsequent passes were accompanied by receipts or documentation detailing the remedial work, as understanding what was repaired between the failed and passed tests is important context for any negotiation and gives assurance that the underlying issues were properly resolved rather than temporarily masked.