MOT reliability
Ford Cortina
138,214 vehicles · 56,847 completed MOT tests analysed
80%
MOT pass rate
Based on 138,214 Ford Cortina vehicles and 56,847 completed MOT tests, the Ford Cortina has an overall 80% pass rate, with an average recorded mileage of 63,290 miles.
138,214
Vehicles
56,847
MOT tests
1,177
Avg miles / year
1.5
Faults per test
0%
Dangerous-fault share
Ford Cortina problem areas
Where faults occur most across all Ford Cortina MOT tests:
-
Other99%
-
Tyres, wheels & suspension6%
-
Brakes5%
-
Emissions & nuisance4%
-
Seatbelts & equipment4%
-
Steering3%
-
Lamps & electrical1%
-
Body & structure1%
Ford Cortina pass rate by age
How the Ford Cortina's MOT pass rate changes as it ages (buckets with 20+ tests).
| Age (years) | Tests | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 101 | 78% |
| 2 | 77 | 84% |
| 3 | 67 | 81% |
| 4 | 45 | 96% |
| 5 | 40 | 92% |
| 6 | 38 | 89% |
| 7 | 26 | 92% |
| 8 | 28 | 82% |
| 9 | 21 | 95% |
| 10 | 23 | 91% |
| 11 | 26 | 81% |
| 12 | 17 | 88% |
| 13 | 17 | 76% |
| 14 | 11 | 82% |
| 15 | 13 | 85% |
| 16 | 12 | 75% |
| 17 | 17 | 94% |
| 18 | 18 | 78% |
| 19 | 20 | 85% |
| 20 | 26 | 85% |
Fuel types: Petrol (138,114), Diesel (53), Other (33), LPG (8), Gas (5), Electric (1)
Most common Ford Cortina MOT faults
These are the faults and advisories recorded most often across Ford Cortina MOT tests:
- Oil leak (1,440 times)
- Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7) (1,210 times)
- Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c) (873 times)
- Offside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c) (855 times)
- Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3) (838 times)
- Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3) (677 times)
- Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3) (672 times)
- Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b) (659 times)
- Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (7.3.B.1a) (600 times)
- Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2) (560 times)
- Horn not working (1.6.2a) (497 times)
- Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1) (492 times)
- Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i)) (465 times)
- Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7) (443 times)
- Nearside Front Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c) (433 times)
Ford Cortina pass rate by registration year
| Year | Vehicles | Tests | Pass rate | Avg mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 | 1 | 100% | 81,767 |
| 2021 | 2 | 3 | 67% | 46,348 |
| 2020 | 6 | 15 | 93% | 44,237 |
| 2019 | 14 | 30 | 80% | 57,123 |
| 2018 | 17 | 44 | 82% | 41,824 |
| 2017 | 15 | 27 | 89% | 58,421 |
| 2016 | 32 | 106 | 79% | 54,740 |
| 2015 | 29 | 105 | 83% | 63,539 |
| 2014 | 17 | 82 | 87% | 55,781 |
| 2013 | 6 | 35 | 77% | 60,772 |
| 2012 | 14 | 58 | 83% | 113,955 |
| 2011 | 5 | 34 | 82% | 64,005 |
| 2010 | 4 | 30 | 90% | 50,013 |
| 2009 | 1 | 9 | 78% | 73,406 |
| 2008 | 1 | 2 | 100% | 16,655 |
| 2007 | 1 | 10 | 50% | 723,506 |
| 2006 | 3 | 16 | 100% | 107,789 |
| 2004 | 4 | 38 | 92% | 97,887 |
| 2003 | 3 | 24 | 79% | 39,421 |
| 2002 | 3 | 27 | 85% | 92,718 |
| 2001 | 3 | 12 | 92% | 30,815 |
| 2000 | 4 | 29 | 83% | 59,165 |
| 1998 | 3 | 21 | 76% | 63,215 |
| 1997 | 1 | 9 | 89% | 72,577 |
| 1996 | 3 | 20 | 80% | 54,998 |
| 1995 | 2 | 7 | 71% | 66,804 |
| 1994 | 2 | 9 | 100% | 9,781 |
| 1993 | 7 | 49 | 80% | 45,633 |
| 1992 | 4 | 23 | 70% | 35,412 |
| 1991 | 2 | 9 | 100% | 38,815 |
| 1990 | 3 | 17 | 82% | 38,347 |
| 1989 | 3 | 25 | 80% | 91,073 |
| 1988 | 8 | 36 | 72% | 68,326 |
| 1987 | 7 | 57 | 72% | 69,439 |
| 1986 | 8 | 96 | 79% | 58,292 |
| 1985 | 8 | 56 | 77% | 36,206 |
| 1984 | 22 | 142 | 80% | 120,674 |
| 1983 | 159 | 1,243 | 73% | 62,351 |
| 1982 | 1,006 | 7,866 | 75% | 67,510 |
| 1981 | 420 | 3,250 | 76% | 60,192 |
| 1980 | 321 | 2,201 | 72% | 67,668 |
| 1979 | 335 | 2,127 | 76% | 63,842 |
| 1978 | 161 | 968 | 76% | 65,746 |
| 1977 | 149 | 853 | 79% | 56,196 |
| 1976 | 178 | 1,070 | 74% | 57,686 |
| 1975 | 185 | 1,169 | 76% | 59,241 |
| 1974 | 179 | 1,257 | 80% | 64,481 |
| 1973 | 240 | 1,914 | 78% | 65,953 |
| 1972 | 434 | 3,415 | 78% | 66,370 |
| 1971 | 235 | 1,736 | 78% | 61,710 |
| 1970 | 699 | 5,498 | 83% | 60,524 |
| 1969 | 511 | 3,828 | 82% | 62,296 |
| 1968 | 463 | 3,363 | 81% | 61,926 |
| 1967 | 365 | 2,508 | 84% | 61,729 |
| 1966 | 648 | 4,832 | 85% | 60,025 |
| 1965 | 422 | 2,883 | 84% | 61,498 |
| 1964 | 311 | 1,999 | 86% | 72,042 |
| 1963 | 247 | 1,298 | 87% | 60,084 |
| 1962 | 29 | 202 | 78% | 59,187 |
| 1961 | 1 | 2 | 50% | 71,218 |
| 1958 | 1 | 2 | 100% | 64,659 |
Ford Cortina reliability FAQ
Across 138,214 Ford Cortina vehicles in our MOT data,
80% pass the MOT (a 20% failure rate), with about
1.5 faults or advisories recorded per test.
The most frequently recorded Ford Cortina MOT issues are:
Oil leak; Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7); Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c).
The typical Ford Cortina in our data has covered around
63,290 miles.
Compare the Ford Cortina
See how the Ford Cortina stacks up against other Ford models on MOT reliability:
Check a specific Ford Cortina
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