2005 Ford Fiesta 1.6L Petrol · FP55 RGX

The 2005 Ford Fiesta presents a mixed maintenance picture, with a recent pass on 23 March 2023 at 87,463 miles, yet the record shows a worsening trend of recurring defects rather than a stable or improving one. That most recent pass was heavily advisory-laden, with both rear brake pipes flagged as corroded and covered in grease or other material, an offside rear service brake noted as binding, a minor exhaust gas leak, and an offside rear suspension mounting area flagged for corrosion. Two days prior, the same car failed with an active ABS warning lamp and excessively damaged rear ABS wiring, faults that were cleared for the pass but suggest underlying electrical and braking system neglect. The pattern is one of items being addressed just enough to pass rather than being properly repaired. The mileage context is unusual and warrants scrutiny. The car covered roughly 11,200 miles between the February 2022 failure at 75,659 miles and the March 2023 pass at 87,463 miles, yet recorded zero miles between the 21 March 2023 failure at 87,421 miles and the 23 March 2023 pass at 87,463 miles, a 42-mile jump across two tests in two days. Prior to that, the car had gone from 64,138 miles in March 2021 to 76,234 miles in March 2022, a gain of over 12,000 miles in twelve months. The overall annual average of roughly 4,165 miles is low for a 21-year-old vehicle, but the uneven distribution raises the possibility of long periods of standing followed by concentrated use, or a recent clocking discrepancy that a buyer should verify against service records and the physical condition of wear items. A buyer should focus the in-person inspection on the rear braking system and underside structure. Both rear brake pipes have been flagged as corroded, and the offside rear service brake was noted as binding in the most recent test. Have the rear calipers, hoses, and pipe runs inspected for uneven wear, sticking pistons, and active corrosion, particularly where grease or underseal may be masking deterioration. The offside rear suspension mounting area was flagged for corrosion at the last test, so check the rear beam mounting points, subframe, and coil spring seats for structural rust, not just surface scaling. The exhaust has appeared repeatedly with leaks and noise advisories, so inspect the full system, especially the rear box and any flexi-joint, for gas leaks and mounting deterioration. The ABS fault that caused the March 2023 failure and was cleared by the pass deserves particular attention. Examine the rear ABS sensor wiring, reluctor rings, and connector plugs for damage, chafing, or water ingress. The 2022 failure also flagged both front anti-roll bar linkage ball joints as excessively worn, a defect that was cleared by the March 2022 pass, so check those joints and drop links for play. Given the age and the recurring nature of the advisories, a full underside inspection on a ramp is strongly recommended before purchase.