Model Reports 5 min read Updated 18 Oct 2026

Ford Focus 2003: reliability & common MOT faults

In 2025, 55 in every 100 first MOTs on a 2003 Ford Focus were passes. Most common reason for a fail: Suspension mounting area (rear).

Summary

A 2003 Ford Focus passed first time about 3 in every 100 more often than the average of the 2002 and 2004 model years.

At a glance

How 8,641 first tests went in 2025.

Passed first time
55 in every 100
Did not pass first time
45 in every 1003,922 failed first-attempt tests
The typical car
22 yearsabout 93,642 miles
First tests counted
8,641

What failed most often

  1. Suspension mounting area (rear)13 in every 100 failed tests
  2. Brake light9 in every 100 failed tests
  3. Individual sidelight or tail light (front)9 in every 100 failed tests

How we count this. Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Only Class 4 cars on their first MOT of the year are counted. A car that fails and is fixed at the test station still counts as a fail in the first-attempt rate. These are raw results, not adjusted for age, mileage, or peer mix. The MOT does not test engine or gearbox internals.

Note:

These are patterns across 2003 Ford Focus vehicles in 2025, not a prediction that any one car will have them. Faults are grouped by part of the car. They come from MOT defect codes, not manufacturer bulletins, recalls or a diagnosis of any one car.

Suspension

Five faults. The strongest is the anti-roll bar linkage pins and bushes (rear): 22 times as often as on similar cars.

Figures below are measured across the 3,858 of 3,922 failed first attempts (98.4%) that recorded an odometer reading in 2025. Mileage is needed to compare like with like.

We only list faults with at least 20 failures and a rate of about 2.0 times that of similar cars, which keeps one-off results out of the list.

Anti-roll bar linkage pins and bushes (rear)

Failed on 112 first tests22 times as often as similar carsStrong evidence

What it means

Excessive wear in an anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush is Major. If the pin or bush is likely to become detached, it is graded Dangerous. The wording is DVSA's general one for a suspension pin, bush or joint.

Also noted as an advisory

Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 128 first tests, 16 times as often as on similar cars.

Anti-roll bar linkage (rear)

Failed on 111 first tests18 times as often as similar carsStrong evidence

What it means

An anti-roll bar linkage is graded Dangerous when a suspension component is missing, likely to become detached, fractured or likely to fail. Insecure attachment that impairs directional stability is graded Dangerous too. Excessive damage or corrosion that seriously weakens the part is Major, and so is plain insecure attachment to the chassis or axle.

Suspension arm (rear)

Failed on 187 first tests16 times as often as similar carsStrong evidence

What it means

A missing bump stop rubber is not a reason to fail a suspension arm. A component that is fractured, missing or likely to fail is graded Dangerous, and one excessively damaged or corroded is Major. On some vehicles, some highly stressed parts are thin pressed steel, and many of those have hollow box sections or up-facing areas that can collect road dirt and salt, so they get special attention.

Also noted as an advisory

Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 516 first tests, 7.0 times as often as on similar cars.

Suspension arm pins and bushes (rear)

Failed on 101 first tests4.8 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

Pins and bushes on suspension arms fail as Major when they are excessively worn. They are graded Dangerous when likely to become detached. DVSA uses the same wording for a suspension joint.

Also noted as an advisory

Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 233 first tests, 3.7 times as often as on similar cars.

Suspension mounting area (rear)

Failed on 517 first tests2.4 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

What it means

The load bearing structure within a set distance of a sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting is a prescribed area. Major applies when its strength or continuity is significantly reduced or it is inadequately repaired. Dangerous applies when it is so weakened that control of the vehicle is likely to be adversely affected.

Also noted as an advisory

Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 314 first tests, 2.2 times as often as on similar cars.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage. Advisories count notes recorded on failed first tests only.

Seat belts and restraints

One fault: seat belt mounting area (rear), 3.3 times as often as on similar cars.

Seat belt mounting area (rear)

Failed on 115 first tests3.3 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

A seat belt anchorage likely to become detached in the event of a collision is graded Dangerous. The load bearing structure near an anchorage, called a prescribed area, is Major when its strength or continuity is significantly reduced or it is inadequately repaired. Anchorage points are inspected for all seat belts fitted, except a belt with no corresponding seat.

Also noted as an advisory

Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 49 first tests, 4.4 times as often as on similar cars.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage. Advisories count notes recorded on failed first tests only.

Lamps and electrical

One fault: rear fog light, 3.0 times as often as on similar cars.

Rear fog light

Failed on 267 first tests3.0 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

A missing obligatory rear fog lamp, one that is not working, or one that does not emit a steady red light is graded Major. A rear fog lamp adversely affected by the operation of any other lamp is Major too. The manual allows it to go out when main beam is switched on or when dipped beam headlamps are switched off.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage.

Body and structure

One fault: vehicle structure condition (rear), 2.1 times as often as on similar cars.

Vehicle structure condition (rear)

Failed on 93 first tests2.1 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

What it means

Structure that is fractured, deformed, corroded, modified or inadequately repaired is failed on rigidity only if the overall structural rigidity of the vehicle is significantly reduced. Structure that is likely to affect steering or braking adversely is graded Dangerous. Prescribed areas are not covered here, as they are checked under other sections, including brakes and steering.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage.

Advisories

Other things testers noted as worn or close to failing, more often than on similar cars.

An advisory is a note from the tester about something that has not failed yet. It is an early warning, not a fail. Advisories for the faults above are shown with those faults.

Brake fluid

Noted on 20 first tests3.7 times as often as similar carsElevated evidence

Anti-roll bar (rear)

Noted on 66 first tests3.6 times as often as similar carsElevated evidence

Structural sub-frame condition (rear)

Noted on 39 first tests3.5 times as often as similar carsElevated evidence

Exhaust system (front)

Noted on 183 first tests3.1 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Counts cover advisories recorded on failed first tests only, compared with cars of the same age and mileage.

MOT pass rates

How first tests ended, and how the pass rates are counted.

Passed first time
55in every 100
Passed on the first test.
Fixed at the station
8in every 100
Failed, then fixed at the test station the same day.
Failed
37in every 100
Did not pass, and were not fixed at the test station.

First-attempt pass 54.6% of 8,641 first tests (2025): only cars that passed first time count. Official-style pass 63.1%: cars fixed at the test station also count as a pass. The 8 fixed and the 37 not fixed make the 45 in every 100 that did not pass first time.

Petrol and diesel

First testsTypical mileagePassed first time, as testedPassed first time, same mileage
Petrol8,10292,488 miles5555
Diesel536112,622 miles5255

Figures are in every 100 first tests. Cars with more miles usually fail more often, so the same-mileage figure gives every fuel the mileage mix of all the cars in this year.

Same model, other years

Passed first time in every 100, all tested in 2025.

40608010020002003201020152020Older carsNewer cars
4060801002000200320102020Newer cars

Newer cars are younger, so look for a jump rather than the climb. A year earlier (2024), when these cars were a year younger, 52 in every 100 passed first time.

YearPassed first timeFirst tests
199952 in every 100910
200053 in every 1001,696
200154 in every 1003,892
200252 in every 1006,783
2003 This car55 in every 1008,641
200452 in every 10011,427
200554 in every 10015,756
200657 in every 10022,078
200757 in every 10031,159
200855 in every 10037,319
200955 in every 10046,757
201056 in every 10047,851
201158 in every 10057,244
201261 in every 10061,916
201362 in every 10067,752
201464 in every 10069,468
201572 in every 10071,323
201677 in every 10060,894
201781 in every 10060,958
201882 in every 10045,414
201981 in every 10052,713
202086 in every 10036,414
202189 in every 10020,069
202290 in every 10014,931

If you are buying one

What this year's MOT record means for the decision in front of you.

Mileage matters most on a 2003 Focus.

Of 2003 Focus vehicles with under 60,000 miles, 64 in every 100 passed their 2025 MOT first time. With 129,000 miles or more, 47 in every 100 did.

Under 60,0001,719 tests
64
60,000–83,0001,702 tests
59
83,000–104,000 Typical car1,657 tests
53
104,000–129,0001,734 tests
51
129,000 and over1,709 tests
47

Petrol or diesel?

Typical mileagePassed first time,
as tested		Passed first time,
same mileage
Petrol92,488 miles5555
Diesel112,622 miles5355

Figures are in every 100 first tests. Petrol cars look better on the raw figures only because diesel cars have done more miles (typically 112,622 against 92,488). At the same mileage there is no clear difference between the two.

What to check at your mileage

How often each fault turned up on a failed first test, by the car's mileage. Read it as: what is likely to need looking at on a car like the one in front of you.

Under 60,00083,000–104,000129,000 and over
Suspension mounting area (rear)4.05.99.4
Brake light3.14.94.6
Individual sidelight or tail light (front)1.33.75.7
Headlight aim2.83.34.2
Suspension arm ball joint (front)1.94.14.0

Faults per 100 first tests, by the car's mileage at the test.

When a car fails

20in every 100

of failed cars had one item to fix.

58in every 100

of failed cars had three or more items to fix.

10in every 100

of all first tests had a defect the tester marked dangerous (unsafe to drive away).

Every figure here is a first-attempt MOT rate from DVSA open data for this model line, for cars of this model year tested in 2025. Each mileage band holds a fifth of the tests. MOTs do not test engine or gearbox internals, so this is a pre-purchase checklist, not a full reliability score.

FAQs

Short answers about how to read this model-year guide.

A 2003 Ford Focus passed first time about 3 in every 100 more often than the average of the 2002 and 2004 model years. In 2025, 54.6% of 8,641 first MOTs on the 2003 Ford Focus passed first time (PRS: items fixed at the station the same day, counted as a fail). The official-style rate including PRS is 63.1%. Among 3,922 failed first-attempt MOT tests (test year 2025), Anti-roll bar linkage pins and bushes (rear) appears more often than on similar cars (2.9% of those tests; 112 observed failures; about 22× more often than similar cars). There is no single reliability score here; this is a pre-purchase checklist built from DVSA open data, not a guarantee for any individual car.
Ranked by how often they were actually recorded, the items that most often failed a 2003 Ford Focus at the first attempt were Suspension mounting area (rear) (13.4%), Brake light (9.3%) and Individual sidelight or tail light (front) (8.8%), each as a share of the year's failed first attempts. That is what goes wrong most often on the car. The common faults table shows a different measure: faults that are unusual compared with similar cars.
Among failed first-attempt tests we highlight patterns that appear more often than on similar cars. Top example: Anti-roll bar linkage pins and bushes (rear) (2.9% of those tests; 112 observed failures; about 22× more often than similar cars). These are statistical signals, not a diagnosis of any individual car.
Anti-roll bar linkage pins and bushes (rear) shows up more often than on similar cars (2.9% of those tests; 112 observed failures; about 22× more often than similar cars). That does not prove a design fault. Age, mileage, and how the car was used still matter. Treat it as a pre-purchase checkpoint, not a manufacturer service bulletin.
Common MOT problem areas for the 2003 Ford Focus include Anti-roll bar linkage pins and bushes (rear), Anti-roll bar linkage (rear), Suspension arm (rear). These are the faults that stand out compared with similar cars, not a complete list of what can go wrong on any individual car.
Advisories flag issues noted at the test and are not a fail rate. We show advisory patterns that appear more often than on similar cars among failed first-attempt tests, separate from common failure rows. Use them as early-warning checks, not as a pass/fail score.
This page highlights MOT failure patterns for the 2003 Ford Focus (registration year) using UK DVSA open data for the selected test year. Patterns are compared with cars of a similar age and mileage. It is a buyer checklist from MOT defect statistics, not a full service history or manufacturer service-bulletin list.
No. MOT tests do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronic modules. Patterns here come from MOT defect statistics only and should not be read as engine or gearbox reliability scores.

About this data

How this page is built and what it can (and can't) say.

These figures come from UK MOT open data for this model year. We surface common failure patterns against similar cars, not a full reliability score, and not a pass/fail verdict on any individual vehicle.

2024 2025

What we include

UK Class 4 cars only. Normal MOT tests (not retests); first test per vehicle per calendar year; results pass, PRS, or fail.

Same-day repairs

PRS means the car failed items that were fixed at the test station and then passed the same day. We count PRS as a first-attempt fail in headline rates so same-day repairs do not hide problems.

How we compare

We compare this model year with other Class 4 cars of similar age and mileage in the same test year. This model family is left out of the peer group so the car is not measured against itself.

What this does not cover

  • MOTs do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronics; this is not a full reliability score.
  • Common faults come from MOT defect stats, not manufacturer TSBs or recalls.
  • Age and mileage matching reduces, but does not remove, differences in how cars were used and maintained.
  • If the data for a car is too thin to say anything useful, we say so rather than guess.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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