2008 Ford Fiesta petrol: common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2008 Ford Fiesta petrol?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2008 Ford Fiesta petrol than on all cars registered in 2008.

• Rigid brake pipes2.6× usual
  Ford Fiesta

  23.8% All 2008 cars

  9.3%

  Failed outright at MOT: 5%, against 1.7% of all 2008 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

  Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

  At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.

• Wheels5× usual
  Ford Fiesta

  10.6% All 2008 cars

  2.1%

  Failed outright at MOT: 0.8%, against 0.6% of all 2008 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

  Rough price £70–£150 our estimate

  At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

• Headlights1.7× usual
  Ford Fiesta

  15.3% All 2008 cars

  9.1%

  Failed outright at MOT: 5.7%, against 4.1% of all 2008 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

  Rough price £40–£400 our estimate

  At the viewing: Check both headlights on dipped and full beam, and look for cloudy or cracked lenses.

• Brake lights1.9× usual
  Ford Fiesta

  10.7% All 2008 cars

  5.5%

  Failed outright at MOT: 8.8%, against 4.5% of all 2008 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

  Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

  At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

• Ball joint dust cover2.1× usual
  Ford Fiesta

  9.1% All 2008 cars

  4.4%

  Failed outright at MOT: 3.8%, against 1.8% of all 2008 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

  Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

  At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

Common 2008 Ford Fiesta petrol MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2008 Ford Fiesta petrol MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

• Lights and electrics
  44% of testsRough price £10–£80

  At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

• Suspension
  43% of testsRough price £120–£400

  At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

• Brakes
  38% of testsRough price £150–£350

  At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

• Tyres
  34% of testsRough price £70–£150

  At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

• Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
  11% of testsRough price £15–£250

  At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

• Exhaust and emissions
  11% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

  At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for an engine warning light.

Known faults on the 2008 Ford Fiesta petrol

Reported by owners, mechanics and buying guides for this model and age. Check which engine the car has, as some apply to one engine only.

• PowerShift automatic gearbox

  Automatic versions only

  Automatic Fiestas with the PowerShift gearbox can give jerky changes, hesitate, or in bad cases lose drive. Repairs can be expensive.

  At the viewing: If it’s an automatic, pull away gently from a standstill several times and drive in slow traffic. Any judder, clunk or hesitation is a warning sign.

  Source: Bumper: Ford Fiesta reliability guide

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2008 Ford Fiesta petrol

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

1. Any recent work on the rigid brake pipes? (Flagged at MOT 2.6× as often on the 2008 Ford Fiesta petrol as on other cars the same age.)
2. Any recent work on the wheels? (Flagged at MOT 5× as often on the 2008 Ford Fiesta petrol as on other cars the same age.)
3. Any recent work on the headlights? (Flagged at MOT 1.7× as often on the 2008 Ford Fiesta petrol as on other cars the same age.)
4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?