Used car guide · 1972–1995

Ford Granada common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Ford Granada, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 755 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

The 1985 Ford Granada

Our MOT figures start with cars first registered in 1990. There are no known faults on record for this year in the UK buying guides we use, so the rest of this page covers the Ford Granada as a whole.

384on the UK register at the end of 2025

ProbablyMOT-exempt (40+ years old), unless substantially changed

Petrolfuel type

What to check on a 1985 car

Rust and structure
Look underneath at the sills, floor, chassis rails and jacking points. Rust in the structure costs far more to fix than paint bubbles.
MOT-exempt isn’t roadworthy
Cars over 40 don’t need an MOT, but they must still be safe. A voluntary MOT or a specialist inspection is worth the money.
Paperwork
Old MOT certificates, bills and restoration photos show how it has been looked after. Check the logbook matches the car’s VIN and engine number.
Originality
Changes from standard affect value and insurance. Ask what has been replaced or modified.
Insurance
Classic insurance is often cheaper but may limit mileage and use. Get a quote before you buy.

Other years

Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).

1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972

What usually goes wrong with a Ford Granada?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Ford Granada in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.

Ford Granada MOT pass rate by year

Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

Year	Pass first time	All cars that year	MOT tests
1994	80%	67% +13	200 (small sample)
1993	67%	68% -1	182 (small sample)
1992	82%	69% +13	132 (small sample)
1991	74%	71% +3	124 (small sample)
1990	70%	72% -2	117 (small sample)

Looking at a Ford Granada?

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

Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score