2016 Ford Fiesta 1.2L Petrol · GL66 VGC

A clear mechanical pattern emerges across the recorded test history of this 2016 Ford Fiesta, centred on a recurring cycle of suspension linkage wear, brake component deterioration, and tyre condition issues that have surfaced repeatedly at successive MOTs. The most recent test on 21 November 2025 was a pass, but it was achieved only after a same-day failure on the identical date addressing a non-functioning rear stop lamp and an ineffective windscreen wiper. Two advisories accompanied that 2025 pass, one for thinning front brake pads and another for slight play in the offside front lower suspension arm ball joint, the latter being the second consecutive year such play has been noted on a front anti-roll or lower arm linkage. Looking further back, the 2022 test produced a Dangerous defect for an offside front tyre with tread below 1.6mm alongside a Major rear lamp failure, and the 2021 test recorded a fail for both headlamp aim issues. The overall trajectory is therefore one of persistent advisories rather than progressive improvement, with the same component families reappearing year after year. Annual mileage accumulation on this Fiesta sits at roughly 8,060 miles per year across its ten-year life, which is broadly typical for a vehicle of this age and usage category. There are no obvious extended gaps between recorded MOT tests, suggesting the car has remained in regular use rather than being laid up for long periods, which reduces the likelihood of dormant faults from extended standing but also means wear-and-tear items have been accumulating at a steady rate. The mileage progression across the recorded tests is consistent, with no sudden jumps or unusually low readings between consecutive tests that would indicate clocking concerns or long stationary intervals. At this accumulated mileage, consumable wear on braking, suspension, and tyre components is entirely expected, and the advisories recorded align with what one would anticipate for a Fiesta approaching its second decade of service. For a prospective buyer, the suspension wear flagged across multiple tests warrants close inspection on a test drive. Listen for clonking or knocking noises from the front end over uneven surfaces, particularly on speed bumps, and feel for any vagueness or wandering from the steering, which could indicate that the noted play in the lower arm or anti-roll bar linkage ball joints has progressed since the November 2025 advisory. On a stationary check with the front wheel rocked by hand, any detectable movement or clunking from the lower wishbone area would confirm that replacement is now due. The anti-roll bar linkage wear, specifically noted at the nearside front in 2023 and 2024, and the offside front lower arm ball joint in 2025, points to a pattern of progressive deterioration rather than an isolated fault. Brake-related advisories have appeared in three of the five test years, with thinning front pads noted in 2021 and again in 2025, and a rear brake imbalance flagged in 2021 where the system only just met requirements. On a test drive, the car should pull up squarely without any pulling to either side, and the pedal should feel firm and progressive without excessive travel or a soft, spongy sensation. Any judder through the steering wheel or pedal under braking could suggest disc warping, which is common on this model at higher mileages. Tyre wear has been flagged in nearly every test cycle, with edge wear particularly noted on the front pair in 2024 and the rear pair in both 2022 and 2023, which can indicate alignment or suspension geometry issues that the noted linkage play could be contributing to. A physical inspection of all four tyres for uneven shoulder wear, along with a check of the rear lamp cluster function and wiper blade condition, would directly address the failure items from 2025 and 2022.