2009 Ford Fiesta 1.2L Petrol · WM09 CUG

A clear pattern of recurring advisories on this Fiesta points to a rear axle suspension assembly that is gradually wearing out, with the same near-side and off-side rear swivel pins and bushes flagged as slightly worn across consecutive annual tests from 2022 through 2025, alongside a separate front coil spring corrosion advisory that surfaced on the off-side in 2024 and had previously been noted on both front springs two years earlier. The most recent test on 16 April 2026 returned a clean pass with no advisories at all, which is the first advisory-free result in the available record and suggests either that the rear bushes have been replaced or have not yet deteriorated to the threshold of being recorded again, rather than indicating a complete mechanical resolution. Underneath that clean pass, however, the chassis remains the weak point of this vehicle, and a prospective buyer should treat the rear trailing arm bush assemblies and front coil springs as components on a defined replacement cycle rather than one-off concerns. The recorded mileage of 64,373 miles over seventeen years equates to an annual accumulation of roughly 3,800 miles, which is substantially below the typical usage rate for a car of this age and points to either extended periods of low activity or significant standing time between trips. There are no unusual gaps in the MOT history to indicate a formal SORN period of many years, but the consistently low mileage does have mechanical consequences regardless of the reason. Components that suffer from disuse rather than wear, such as the brake calipers, rear drum or disc mechanisms, CV joint gaiters, and the engine oil seals, can deteriorate when a vehicle is used only intermittently for short journeys, which is consistent with the persistent oil leak advisory that has appeared at every test from 2022 to 2025. The coolant level being noted as low on two separate occasions also fits a usage profile of short, infrequent journeys where airlocks and slow seepage around ageing seals accumulate faster than they would on a higher-mileage, regularly-driven car. For a physical inspection, the rear axle swivel pins and bushes are the priority, and on a test drive you should listen carefully for any clonking or knocking from the rear suspension when traversing speed bumps or uneven road surfaces, as well as feeling for vagueness or wandering from the rear axle under load. With the vehicle raised or with the wheels removed, the rear trailing arm bushes should be checked for cracking, splitting, or visible movement in their housings, as the gradual nature of the wear means a slight deterioration can rapidly become a more pronounced failure once the rubber perishes further. The off-side front coil spring should be inspected for advanced surface corrosion and pitting, particularly at the lower coils where moisture and road salt collect, and any sign of cracking, flaking metal, or reduced spring height should be treated as an immediate replacement requirement. Given the persistent oil leak advisories over four consecutive tests, the engine and gearbox should be inspected from underneath for fresh wet staining on the sump, cam cover, and rear crankshaft seal area, with attention paid to whether the leak rate has increased since the last recorded assessment, and the coolant system should be topped up and pressure tested to confirm whether the earlier low-level readings were caused by a slow external leak or by intermittent air ingress through a failing component such as the water pump or thermostat housing.