Model Reports 8 min read Updated 11 Sep 2026 Pilot DVSA open data · 15,077 tests analysed

Ford Ranger 2021: reliability & common MOT faults

3,090 first-attempt MOT failures were recorded on the 2021 Ford Ranger in 2025. Figures are among first-attempt failed MOT tests, not among all tests.

Coil spring (front) was the most common reason a 2021 Ranger failed its MOT — 32.3% of its failed first attempts.

First-attempt pass

79.5%

of 15,077 first tests (2025)

First tests

15,077

test year 2025

Failed first attempts

3,090

failed first-attempt tests

MOT pass rates

First-attempt and official-style rates among class 4 first tests of the year.

First-attempt pass

79.5%

of 15,077 first tests (2025)

Official-style pass

82.9%

incl. same-day PRS fixes

First tests

15,077

class 4 · first MOT of the year

Typical age 4.0 yrs · median mileage 50,140 mi

vs 2024: -3.2 pp first-attempt

Note:

  • Class 4 cars · first MOT of the year per vehicle · P/PRS/F outcomes (2025 data).
  • PRS (fixed at the station the same day) counts as a fail in the first-attempt rate.
  • Raw outcomes for this cohort — not adjusted for age, mileage, or peer mix.
  • MOT doesn't test engine or gearbox internals.

Common faults

Failure patterns that show up more often on this registration year than on similar cars.

These MOT failure patterns show up more often on this registration year than on similar cars of the same class, age, and mileage.

Shares below are measured across the 3,090 failed first attempts in 2025 that the age-and-mileage comparison can be computed on.

Standout: Coil spring (front) — 32.3% of this year's failed first attempts

Recorded on 997 of those tests. It tops the table on elevation — about 143× more often than on similar cars of the same age and mileage. On this year it is also the commonest failure, so it answers both questions at once. The full ranked list is in the table below.

Fault pattern Location Failures vs similar cars Share of fails Confidence
Coil spring (front)
Suspension > Springs > Coil springs > Coil spring
 Front 997 ×143 32.3% Strong
Leaf spring (rear)
Suspension > Springs > Leaf springs > Leaf spring
 Rear 67 ×28 2.2% Likely
Diesel emissions test (compression-ignition rules for vehicles from 01/01/2014) Any 64 ×7.0 2.1% Likely
Ball joint (front)
Suspension > Suspension arms > Ball joint
 Front 135 ×3.0 4.4% Possible
Malfunction indicator lamp
Noise, emissions and leaks > Exhaust emissions > Compression ignition > Malfunction indicator lamp
 Any 167 ×2.2 5.4% Possible
Shock absorbers (front)
Suspension > Shock absorbers
 Front 103 ×2.2 3.3% Possible

Only patterns that clear minimum sample and elevation thresholds are shown (at least 20 failures and about 2.0× more often than similar cars).

Note: Rates and comparisons are among first-attempt failed tests, not all MOTs. Patterns come from MOT defect codes — not manufacturer service bulletins, recalls, or a diagnosis of any individual car. Failures and advisories are listed separately.

Advisories

Notes recorded at the test that appear more often than on similar cars.

Advisory notes recorded on failed first-attempt tests that appear more often than on similar cars.

Advisory pattern Location Notes vs similar cars Share Confidence
Ball joint (front)
Suspension > Other suspension component > Ball joint
 Front 21 ×37 0.7% Elevated
Ball joint (front)
Suspension > Suspension arms > Ball joint
 Front 199 ×7.7 6.4% Possible
Brake fluid
Brakes > Hydraulic systems > Brake fluid
 Any 27 ×3.9 0.9% Elevated
Linkage ball joints (front)
Suspension > Anti-roll bars > Linkage ball joints
 Front 30 ×3.4 1.0% Elevated
Transmission oil leaks (front)
Noise, emissions and leaks > Fluid leaks > Transmission oil leaks
 Front 26 ×3.0 0.8% Elevated
Engine oil leaks
Noise, emissions and leaks > Fluid leaks > Engine oil leaks
 Any 111 ×2.6 3.6% Elevated
Note: Advisories are not a fail rate — they flag issues noted at the test, often before they become failures.

If you are buying one

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

Nothing separates this year from the Rangers either side of it, so buy on the individual car. The checks below are the items that actually failed 2021 Rangers, commonest first.

Other Ranger years worth knowing about

Newer cars always pass more often, so a plain "best year" list would just rank by age. These are the years that beat or miss the trend their own neighbouring years set — the only age-adjusted signal this data supports.

Year vs the years either side First-attempt pass (rises with newer cars) First tests
2023 Ranger +4.2 pp better 86.1% 502

What to check on a 2021 Ranger

The items that failed 2021 Rangers most often, as a share of the year's failed first attempts. This is what goes wrong, not what is unusual — the table further up the page covers that.

  • Coil spring (front) — recorded on 32.3% of failed first attempts
  • Tyres — Condition (front) — recorded on 8.4% of failed first attempts
  • Brake pads (front) — recorded on 8.4% of failed first attempts
  • Headlamp aim — recorded on 7.8% of failed first attempts
  • Tread depth (front) — recorded on 5.7% of failed first attempts

Every figure here is a first-attempt MOT rate from DVSA open data for this model line. 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.

Coil spring (front) was the most common reason a 2021 Ranger failed its MOT — 32.3% of its failed first attempts. In 2025, 79.5% of 15,077 first MOTs on the 2021 Ford Ranger passed first time (PRS — items fixed at the station the same day — counted as a fail). The official-style rate including PRS is 82.9%. Among 3,090 failed first-attempt MOT tests (test year 2025), Coil spring (front) appears more often than on si…
Ranked by how often they were actually recorded, the items that failed 2021 Ford Rangers most often at the first attempt were Coil spring (front) (32.3%), Tyres — Condition (front) (8.4%) and Brake pads (front) (8.4%) — each as a share of the year's failed first attempts. That is what goes wrong on the car. It is a different question from which patterns are unusual for the class, which the common-faults table answer…
Among failed first-attempt tests we highlight patterns that appear more often than on similar cars. Top example: Coil spring (front) (32.3% of those tests; 997 observed failures; about 143× more often than similar cars). These are statistical signals, not a diagnosis of any individual car.
Coil spring (front) shows up more often than on similar cars (32.3% of those tests; 997 observed failures; about 143× 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 check point, not a manufacturer service bulletin.
Common MOT problem areas for the 2021 Ford Ranger include Coil spring (front), Leaf spring (rear), Ball joint (front). These patterns show up more often than on similar cars after we filter out sparse noise — not a full list of every possible fault on an 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 2021 Ford Ranger (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.
  • We never invent pass rates, star scores, or ranks when those data marts are missing.

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

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