2015 Ford Fiesta 1.0L Petrol · LC65 AEB

This 2015 Ford Fiesta presents a roadworthiness profile that has clearly deteriorated over the last two testing cycles, moving from a sequence of clean passes between 2020 and 2022 into a period of accumulating structural and safety-related defects. The 2025-06-24 test recorded a pass, but only after an earlier attempt thirteen days prior resulted in a fail with dangerous and major defects, namely a leaking nearside front brake hose and a split nearside front CV boot, alongside a malfunctioning tyre pressure monitoring system. The 2024 cycle similarly required a retest, with a major defect cited for an excessively worn offside front suspension arm ball joint. Across these two years the advisory record has also thickened, with brake pads thinning in 2024 and a worn tyre on the offside front in 2025, while earlier exhaust flexi advisories from 2023 and 2024 indicate ongoing degradation of the exhaust system. The overall trend is one of worsening condition rather than stable roadworthiness, with braking, suspension, and drivetrain components all now featuring in the defect history. Recorded mileage stands at 88,295 miles across roughly eleven years of use, equating to around 8,000 miles annually, which is a broadly typical accumulation rate for a Fiesta of this age. Annual MOT mileage progression can be traced from approximately 60,000 miles in 2020 through to the current figure, indicating consistent year-on-year use rather than prolonged periods off the road or sudden heavy-use spikes. This steady, moderate mileage pattern means the vehicle has not been subjected to unusually low-use conditions that might mask underlying deterioration, nor has it been driven hard enough to accelerate wear dramatically. Mechanically, this suggests standard wear rates for consumables such as brakes, tyres, and suspension components, but the recent MOT defects indicate that several of these wear items have now reached or exceeded their service limits. A prospective buyer should focus a physical inspection on the components specifically cited in the recent advisories and failures, beginning with the front suspension and braking systems. The 2024 advisory for an excessively worn offside front suspension arm ball joint warrants a careful check for knocking or clonking noises from the front end when traversing speed bumps or uneven road surfaces, together with vague or imprecise directional response and uneven tyre wear on the inside or outside edges of the front tyres. The 2025 dangerous defect for a leaking nearside front brake hose demands close attention to brake pedal feel on test; any sponginess, excessive travel, or visible fluid weeping around the front brake calipers and hose unions should be treated as a serious warning sign. The front inner brake pads flagged as thinning in 2024 should now be confirmed as having been replaced, and a thorough check of the rear brake pipes and hoses for corrosion, particularly along the underside of the vehicle, is advisable given the age of the car. The drivetrain and exhaust components flagged in the record also merit direct attention. The split nearside front outer CV boot recorded as a major defect in 2025 should have been rectified prior to the pass, but a road test should include tight slow-speed turns in both directions while listening for any clicking, knocking, or vibrating sensations transmitted through the steering or floorpan, which would indicate CV joint wear or contamination has already occurred. The exhaust flexi section, which received advisories in both 2023 and 2024 for separation and breakage, is a known weak point on this model and a current inspection should look for any blowing, ticking, or droning noises from under the bonnet or beneath the vehicle, particularly on cold start and at idle. Finally, given the tyre pressure monitoring system fault logged in 2025, it is worth confirming that the system is currently functional, as persistent warning lights on the dashboard would indicate either unresolved sensor issues or that a reset has not been properly carried out following any wheel or tyre work.