2009 Ford Fiesta 1.4L Petrol · LR09 UAS

A persistent pattern of steering and suspension wear underpins the roadworthiness profile of this 2009 Ford Fiesta, with the offside steering components in particular flagged across consecutive tests. The most recent examination on 19 November 2021 returned a pass, but it carried advisories for wear in the offside steering alongside slight distortion of both rear road wheels, continuing a theme that was already present at the November 2020 test. That earlier 2020 attempt resulted in a failure, not for the steering itself but for an excessively worn subframe pin or bush on both rear corners, paired with inoperative front and rear nearside lighting. An earlier failure in November 2019 cited an excessively worn offside front lower suspension arm ball joint, which is a separate but related mechanical concern. Taken together, these records point to chassis and steering consumables that have required attention on more than one occasion during the recorded testing period, and the persistence of the offside steering advisory into the latest pass suggests the wear has not been definitively resolved. Against an age of around seventeen years, the recorded mileage of 86,387 miles equates to an annual accumulation of roughly 5,000 miles, which is notably low for the vehicle's age. Two further contextual observations are worth drawing from the testing pattern. Firstly, there is a clear gap between the November 2017 test and the November 2018 test, and the mileage accumulation implied between those events appears broadly proportionate to annual use rather than indicating any prolonged off-road period. Secondly, the failures in 2018, 2019 and 2020 all occurred in the same calendar year or the immediately following year, suggesting fairly intensive short-distance or seasonal use around that period. For a Fiesta of this vintage, lower annual mileage generally reduces wear on internal drivetrain components but can accelerate deterioration of rubber bushes, brake discs and flexible exhaust sections, all of which are sensitive to age rather than distance covered. The advisory for a deteriorated front flexible exhaust in 2020 is consistent with that age-related deterioration pattern. A prospective buyer should treat the chassis and steering items as the primary mechanical priorities for physical inspection. The advisories relating to offside steering wear, recorded in 2020 and again in 2021, warrant careful attention. On a test drive, listen for clonks or knocks from the front end over uneven surfaces, particularly from the offside, and feel for any vagueness, slack, or inconsistency in the steering response, especially when traversing rough ground or during direction changes. Inspect the offside front lower suspension arm and its ball joint, as the 2019 failure indicates this component has previously reached an excessively worn condition, and check the rear subframe mounting bushes or pins, which were both flagged as excessively worn in 2020, for cracking, perishing, or visible movement when the vehicle is rocked. Steering rack inner joint condition should also be examined for any play, given the recurring advisory. The braking and wheel assemblies require equally targeted scrutiny given the recorded advisories. The 2017 advisory for front brake discs excessively corroded and lipped on the inside surface means the discs have aged through at least one full MOT cycle, and on inspection the buyer should feel for pedal judder under firm braking and listen for any scraping or binding. Both rear wheels were recorded as slightly distorted in 2021, which on a Fiesta typically manifests as vibration through the car at higher speeds, so a motorway-speed test drive is worthwhile to confirm balance. The nearside rear tyre was also flagged in 2020 as worn close to the legal limit and deteriorated on edge, so inner and outer shoulder wear patterns on all four tyres should be examined to rule out any remaining misalignment or suspension geometry issues stemming from the previously worn components. Finally, verify that all front and rear lighting, including the nearside position lamp and dipped beam headlamp which caused the 2020 failure, is fully functional, and confirm the front and rear registration plates have not deteriorated to the point of being illegible.