2016 Ford Fiesta 1.0L Petrol · GP66 EHD

The 2016 Ford Fiesta presents a mixed maintenance picture, with a clear downward trend in its most recent MOT cycle. Although the vehicle ultimately passed its October 2025 test at 100,576 miles, the initial failure on the same date reveals a cluster of faults that suggest the car sat unused or was poorly maintained in the preceding months. The tester flagged both front wipers as ineffective, an offside headlamp with severely reduced intensity, and both front tyres worn close to the legal limit on their inner edges. These are not isolated consumable issues. The inner-edge tyre wear pattern points to misalignment or worn suspension tracking, while the headlamp intensity loss hints at a failed bulb, degraded lens, or wiring fault that went unaddressed for some time. The pass result came only after remedial work, meaning the car was not in a roadworthy state on the day it was first presented. The mileage record tells a story of abrupt stagnation. Between November 2024 at 84,563 miles and October 2025 at 100,576 miles, the car covered 16,013 miles in under eleven months. That is a sharp increase compared to the prior years, when it averaged roughly 10,000 miles annually between 2022 and 2024. The October 2025 test mileage is identical on both the failed and retest entries, confirming the vehicle was stationary during the repair period. Before the 2024-2025 spike, the car had two consecutive clean passes in November 2022 and November 2023 with zero defects, indicating a period of stable upkeep. The sudden jump in mileage followed by multiple failures suggests either a change in ownership, a long period of disuse, or deferred maintenance catching up all at once. Two recurring items deserve closer scrutiny. The rear sub-frame pin or bush advisory appeared on the October 2025 test, flagged as worn but not yet causing excessive movement. On a ten-year-old Fiesta with over 100,000 miles, this is a known weak point, and the progression from advisory to failure is common if left unattended. The front exhaust also showed a minor gas leak at the same test. Minor leaks at the manifold or flexi-joint can worsen rapidly, particularly on short-journey vehicles, and may lead to emissions failure or accelerated corrosion of nearby components. A buyer should inspect the rear sub-frame mounting points for play or corrosion, check the exhaust front section for soot staining indicating the leak's severity, and have the front suspension geometry verified given the uneven inner tyre wear. The windscreen chip noted in November 2024 remains an advisory, so examine whether it has propagated into Zone A. Test the headlamp aim and bulb condition, and confirm the wiper blades were replaced rather than merely refitted. These items are all fixable, but their clustering in one test cycle signals a car that may need more attentive servicing going forward.