2013 Ford Focus diesel: common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2013 Ford Focus diesel?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2013 Ford Focus diesel than on all cars registered in 2013.

• Individual direction indicators3.9× usual
  Ford Focus

  6.7% All 2013 cars

  1.7%

  Failed outright at MOT: 2.2%, against 0.6% of all 2013 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.

• Coil springs1.6× usual
  Ford Focus

  12.2% All 2013 cars

  7.5%

  Failed outright at MOT: 7.8%, against 3.7% of all 2013 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.

• Headlight aim2.1× usual
  Ford Focus

  7.4% All 2013 cars

  3.5%

  Failed outright at MOT: 7.4%, against 3.5% of all 2013 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

  Rough price £20–£60 our estimate

  At the viewing: Park facing a wall at night or in a garage and check both headlight beams sit level. Aim is a cheap adjustment.

• Sidelights1.8× usual
  Ford Focus

  6.8% All 2013 cars

  3.7%

  Failed outright at MOT: 6.4%, against 3.3% of all 2013 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.

• Sub-frame2.1× usual
  Ford Focus

  5.2% All 2013 cars

  2.5%

  Failed outright at MOT: 0.3%, against 0.1% of all 2013 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

  Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

  At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

Common 2013 Ford Focus diesel MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2013 Ford Focus diesel MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

• Tyres
  38% 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.

• Suspension
  33% 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.

• Lights and electrics
  27% 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
  24% 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.

• Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
  8% 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
  4% 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 engine or DPF warning lights.

Known faults on the 2013 Ford Focus diesel

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

  Expert buying guides suggest avoiding the PowerShift automatic on this Focus. Early versions especially were troublesome.

  At the viewing: If it’s an automatic, ask for proof of gearbox fluid changes and test it in slow traffic for judder or hesitation.

  Source: Parkers: Ford Focus Mk3 buying guide

• Broken front coil springs

  Front springs can snap. You may hear a clonk when turning the wheel.

  At the viewing: With the car stopped, turn the steering from lock to lock and listen for a clonk or twang. Springs should be replaced in pairs.

  If it needs doing: Coil springs (pair), about £175–£400. ClickMechanic

  Source: Parkers: Ford Focus Mk3 buying guide

• Rattle from the flywheel

  A rattle as you switch the engine off can mean the dual-mass flywheel is failing, which is a big job alongside the clutch.

  At the viewing: Switch the engine off and listen for a rattle. Check the clutch doesn’t bite very high.

  If it needs doing: Clutch and dual-mass flywheel, about £650–£1,200. ClickMechanic

  Source: Parkers: Ford Focus Mk3 buying guide

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2013 Ford Focus diesel

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

1. Any recent work on the individual direction indicators? (Flagged at MOT 3.9× as often on the 2013 Ford Focus diesel as on other cars the same age.)
2. Any recent work on the coil springs? (Flagged at MOT 1.6× as often on the 2013 Ford Focus diesel as on other cars the same age.)
3. Any recent work on the headlight aim? (Flagged at MOT 2.1× as often on the 2013 Ford Focus diesel as on other cars the same age.)
4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?