2021 Ford Puma hybrid: common problems and MOT failures
What MOT testers find on the hybrid Ford Puma first registered in 2021 (hybrid cars only): we looked at the 715 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.
Common 2021 Ford Puma hybrid MOT failures and advisories
The share of 2021 Ford Puma hybrid MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.
- Tyres25% 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.
- Brakes8% 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.
- Lights and electrics4% of testsRough price £10–£80
At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.
- Seats and seatbelts3% of testsRough price £80–£250
At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.
- Wipers, windscreen and mirrors2% 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 2021 Ford Puma hybrid
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.
- Cars built Nov 2019 - Jan 2020
Driver's airbag recall
In February 2020 Ford recalled 24,249 Pumas built from November 2019 to January 2020 because of an airbag fault. What Car? says the airbag module's retaining springs might not lock it securely to the steering wheel.
At the viewing: Run the VIN through the gov.uk recall checker, or ask a Ford dealer to confirm the work was done, on any car built from November 2019 to January 2020.
Source: Auto Express: used Ford Puma review, What Car?: used Ford Puma reliability
- All EcoBoost engines
Wet cambelt on EcoBoost engines
The cambelt on EcoBoost engines runs inside the engine oil. Ford's official interval is 10 years or 120,000 miles, but Auto Express advises changing it much sooner, at 6-8 years or 60,000-80,000 miles, because the belt can fail. A replacement costs around £1,000.
At the viewing: Look in the service history for a cambelt change, and check that the car was serviced on time with the correct oil.
- 1.0 petrol (EcoBoost and non-turbo)
Timing belt that runs in oil (1.0 EcoBoost)
Ford’s 1.0 three-cylinder petrol uses a timing belt that runs in the engine oil on most cars. If oil changes are late or the wrong oil is used, the belt breaks down and sheds rubber that blocks the oil supply, which can wreck the engine. Some later cars have a timing chain instead: a Ford dealer can tell you from the VIN. Ford’s change interval is 10 years or 150,000 miles, and the belt isn’t covered by warranty.
At the viewing: Ask for a full service history with the right oil, and when the belt was changed. An oil-pressure warning light, a rattle or a rough idle are warning signs.
Source: Parkers: everything you need to know about the Ford wet belt
- 1.0 EcoBoost mild hybrid, built Nov 2019 - Nov 2020
Mild-hybrid battery connection recalls
Two recalls covered poor connections on the mild-hybrid battery. The first (August 2020) covered 428 cars built from November 2019 to July 2020. The second (January 2021) covered cars built from June to November 2020. The dealer fix is to check the connections and tighten them to Ford's specification.
At the viewing: Confirm with a recall check or a Ford dealer that the work is recorded. During the test drive, make sure the start-stop and hybrid systems work and no warning lights show.
- Some cars built Jul 2019 - Feb 2021 and May - Jul 2022
eCall emergency-call software recalls
Faults in the automatic emergency-call (eCall) system led to two recalls. The first (May 2021) covered some cars built from July 2019 to February 2021. The second (July 2022) covered some built from May to July 2022. The fix is a software update.
At the viewing: Run a recall check on the VIN and make sure no SOS or eCall warning appears on the dashboard.
- All engines
Noisy brakes
Owners often complain of noisy brakes, and the Puma scored poorly for brakes in the Driver Power survey.
At the viewing: On the test drive, brake gently and firmly several times and listen for squealing or grinding.
Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2021 Ford Puma hybrid
Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.
- Has the airbag recall been done? Do you have a dealer invoice or record for it?
- Has the cambelt been changed yet? If so, at what mileage, and was the correct oil always used at services?
- Has the timing belt been changed, and is there a full service history with the right oil?
- Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?
Looking at a Ford Puma?
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 Puma compared
| Year | MOT tests | Most flagged |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | – | Too new for MOT data |
| 2025 | – | Too new for MOT data |
| 2024 | – | Too new for MOT data |
| 2023 | 2,330 | Tyres 9% |
| 2022 | 37,276 | Tyres 20% |
| 2020 | 76,384 | Tyres 21% |
| 2019 | 550 | Tyres 27% |
| 2002 | 1,430 | Suspension 48% |
| 2001 | 1,892 | Suspension 45% |
| 2000 | 1,767 | Suspension 40% |
| 1999 | 877 | Suspension 44% |
| 1998 | 410 | Suspension 46% |
| 1997 | – | 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 Puma cars first registered in 2021. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score