2011 Ford Fiesta 1.2L Petrol · RO61 HCU

The most recent DVSA examination dated 21 August 2026 returned a Pass, though it was achieved only three days after a Dangerous failure on 18 August 2026 for excessively worn front inner tyres and a fractured nearside front coil spring, alongside major defects for incorrect rear indicator colour and a contaminated rear position lamp. The advisories carried forward from that visit include perishing on the nearside rear tyre, worn rear suspension arm pins or bushes, and worn rear axle swivel pins and bushes on both sides. Looking at the broader picture, the 2020 and 2025 tests passed without recorded defects, but the intervening years have steadily accumulated advisories relating to brake disc condition, front brake pad wear, tyre edge wear, exhaust flexi degradation, and rear axle bush perishing. The transition from clean passes to a Dangerous failure in the latest cycle, even allowing for a three-day repair turnaround, suggests a vehicle whose maintenance trend has shifted from broadly stable to actively worsening and which should be approached with corresponding caution. With 120,089 recorded miles over approximately fifteen years, this Fiesta has averaged around 8,000 miles annually, which sits squarely within typical parameters for a car of its age and segment. There are no obvious prolonged gaps in MOT coverage, implying fairly consistent usage rather than long periods of standing, and the mileage progression between tests is broadly proportionate. That said, a fifteen-year-old supermini with six-figure mileage will inevitably be approaching the latter stages of life for original drivetrain components, and consumable wear rates on the suspension, exhaust, clutch, and engine peripherals will be elevated relative to a lower-mileage example. The annual mileage is not in itself a red flag, but it reinforces the need to scrutinise age-related degradation as much as distance-related wear. The fracture of the nearside front coil spring is a particularly significant finding, as a broken spring can cause loss of vehicle control, uneven tyre wear, and abnormal noises over bumps, and it is worth confirming on a test drive that there are no clonks, rattles, or visible vehicle sag at the affected corner following the repair. The Dangerous tyre tread depth failure on both front inner positions, combined with recurring advisories for tyres worn close to the legal limit and on the edge across multiple years, points to either premature inner-edge wear from suspension geometry issues or simply neglected rotation and replacement; any test drive should include careful listening for suspension knocks and visual checks for uneven shoulder wear. The persistent brake advisories from 2022, 2023, and 2024 regarding pitted and scored front discs, thin front pads, and inner-face disc deterioration indicate the braking system has been on borrowed time for several years; a prospective buyer should expect imminent disc and pad replacement, and during a road test any brake shudder, vibration through the pedal, or pulling to one side under braking should be treated as confirmation that the work has not yet been carried out. Beyond the documented items, several age-related checks are warranted given that this is a fifteen-year-old vehicle. The 2021 exhaust leak and flexi advisories mean the full exhaust system, including the front flexi joint, rear silencer, and mounting rubbers, should be physically inspected for fresh corrosion or blowing joints. Tyre sidewalls should be examined for perishing and cracking in line with the recent advisory, and all tyres should ideally be no more than a few years old regardless of tread depth, as rubber degrades with age. Given the calendar age rather than just mileage, the 12V battery should be load-tested as old units frequently fail without warning, brake fluid should be assumed due for renewal on a time basis rather than purely mileage, and coolant and gearbox oil condition should be verified. Finally, the persistent advisories relating to rear axle bushes and swivel pins warrant a careful check for any knocking from the rear over uneven surfaces, uneven rear tyre wear, or visible play when the wheels are rocked, as failure of these components can rapidly progress into an MOT failure and represents a meaningful rectification cost on a vehicle at this stage of its life.