Part of the Ford Fiesta Mk7 (2008–2017) guide: best and worst years compared.

Used car guide

2011 Ford Fiesta petrol: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the petrol Ford Fiesta first registered in 2011 (petrol cars only): we looked at the 187,864 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

187,864MOTs of 2011 petrol cars, done in 2023–2025
59%pass first time (all 2011 cars: 62%)
6,000typical miles a year
2.4×the usual rate for ball joint

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2011 Ford Fiesta petrol?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2011 Ford Fiesta petrol than on all cars registered in 2011.

  • Ball joint2.4× usual
    Ford Fiesta
    14% All 2011 cars
    5.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 8.7%, against 3.1% of all 2011 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.

  • Coil springs1.7× usual
    Ford Fiesta
    15.3% All 2011 cars
    9.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.7%, against 4% of all 2011 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £175–£400 (pair, one axle) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Look behind each wheel for a snapped spring coil, and listen for a clunk or twang when turning the wheel lock to lock with the car stopped.

  • Steering swivel joints8.4× usual
    Ford Fiesta
    6.7% All 2011 cars
    0.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.6%, against 0.1% of all 2011 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£450 our estimate

    At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.

  • Wheels4.1× usual
    Ford Fiesta
    7.3% All 2011 cars
    1.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.7%, against 0.5% of all 2011 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.

  • Exhaust system1.7× usual
    Ford Fiesta
    10.2% All 2011 cars
    5.9%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.9%, against 1.7% of all 2011 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£500 (pipe or section) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for blowing or rattling from underneath at idle, and look for black soot around joints.

Better than most

Suspension arm bushes and joints: 3.2% here, against 9.9% of all 2011 cars. Shock absorbers: 3.3% here, against 7% of all 2011 cars.

Common 2011 Ford Fiesta petrol MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2011 Ford Fiesta petrol MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • 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.

  • Tyres
    37% 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.

  • Lights and electrics
    34% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Brakes
    22% 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.

  • Exhaust and emissions
    12% 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.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    7% of testsRough price £15–£250

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

Known faults on the 2011 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 2011 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 ball joint? (Flagged at MOT 2.4× as often on the 2011 Ford Fiesta petrol as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the coil springs? (Flagged at MOT 1.7× as often on the 2011 Ford Fiesta petrol as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the steering swivel joints? (Flagged at MOT 8.4× as often on the 2011 Ford Fiesta petrol as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Ford Fiesta?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

Every year of the Ford Fiesta compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2026–Too new for MOT data
2024–Too new for MOT data
20231,279Tyres 15%
202224,194Tyres 21%
202153,077Tyres 23%
2020138,826Tyres 26%
2019231,452Tyres 30%
2018275,560Tyres 31%
2017268,449Tyres 31%
2016339,835Tyres 32%
2015373,591Tyres 33%
2014364,190Suspension 38%
2013334,425Suspension 44%
2012293,149Suspension 46%
2010256,215Suspension 46%
2009271,995Suspension 48%
2008166,878Lights and electrics 44%
2007154,032Lights and electrics 46%
2006125,159Suspension 47%
200574,517Suspension 49%
200461,285Suspension 48%
200346,363Brakes 48%
200222,152Suspension 44%
20018,018Suspension 54%
20004,564Suspension 53%
19994,618Suspension 53%
19983,710Suspension 53%
19971,676Suspension 52%
1996937Suspension 46%
1995805Brakes 36%
1994562Suspension 39%
1993423Suspension 32%
1992508Suspension 24%
1991881Suspension 18%
1990511Suspension 21%
1989–Too few tests
1988–Too few tests
1987–Too few tests
1986–Too few tests
1985–Too few tests
1984–Too few tests
1983–Too few tests
1982–Too few tests
1981–Too few tests
1980–Too few tests
1979–Too few tests
1978–Too few tests
1977–Too few tests

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of Ford Fiesta cars first registered in 2011. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score