Ford C-Max common problems and MOT pass rate

In 2025, DVSA recorded 105,820 initial MOT tests on the Ford C-Max in Great Britain, and 67.8% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

Looking at a particular C-Max? Check its own record.

Free MOT history, mileage and tax. No sign-up.

Ford C-Max at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 105,820
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 67.8%
Failed at firstIncluding 6.4% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 32.2%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 10.8%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 4,148 off the road (SORN): 98,574

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

Failure areas

Where the C-Max fails its MOT

The share of initial tests in 2025 with at least one fail or PRS item in each part of the MOT. A test can fail in more than one area, so these do not add up to the fail rate.

1Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
13.3%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
2Tyres
9.0%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
3Suspension
8.5%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
4Brakes
6.7%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
5Visibility
4.3%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
6Body, chassis and structure
3.9%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%
7Noise, emissions and leaks
3.7%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
8Steering
1.8%
Steering rack, joints and linkages, power steering, the steering wheel and columnAll cars and vans: 2.0%
9Road wheels
0.5%
Damaged or loose wheels, wheel nuts and hubsAll cars and vans: 0.4%
10Seat belts and airbags
0.4%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%

This modelAll cars and vans

Parts

The parts that fail most

Share of initial tests with a fail or PRS item on each part, 2025.

ConditionTyres5.1%
Mechanical brake componentsBrakes4.1%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics3.7%
Suspension armsSuspension3.6%
Exhaust emissionsEmissions and leaks3.5%
Stop lampLamps and electrics3.2%
Position lampsLamps and electrics3.2%
Anti-roll barsSuspension3.1%

By age

Pass rate by year first used

Older cars fail more often, so compare a car with others of its year. Cars up to 25 years old; years with fewer than 250 tests are left out.

First used	Tests	Passed first time	Dangerous defect
2019	2,615	83.3%	6.3%
2018	4,815	80.1%	7.9%
2017	8,017	82.6%	7.3%
2016	10,580	77.7%	7.7%
2015	11,300	72.3%	8.0%
2014	12,399	69.3%	9.3%
2013	13,303	68.2%	11.1%
2012	10,550	63.4%	13.6%
2011	9,912	63.7%	13.1%
2010	5,337	55.9%	15.0%
2009	4,597	54.9%	13.5%
2008	8,388	52.8%	14.9%
2007	3,791	51.7%	14.7%

Mileage

C-Max mileage by age

The median reading at the test: half the cars of that age had covered more, half less. Estimated from 1,000-mile bands, for cars up to 25 years old.

A car well above or below the typical figure is not a problem in itself, but the readings should rise steadily from one MOT to the next. A fall, or a long gap, is worth asking about.

Check a car's mileage record

Age at test	Median mileage	Readings
5 years	31,300 miles	1,314
6 years	38,500 miles	4,414
7 years	48,700 miles	6,315
8 years	57,400 miles	9,455
9 years	66,600 miles	11,415
10 years	75,200 miles	11,465
11 years	82,800 miles	12,596
12 years	89,400 miles	12,022
13 years	96,300 miles	10,010
14 years	99,600 miles	7,378
15 years	100,100 miles	4,605
16 years	103,800 miles	6,448
17 years	106,800 miles	6,711
18 years	109,900 miles	1,258

Checking a particular C-Max?

Averages tell you what to look at. The registration tells you about this car: every MOT since 2005 with its failures and advisories, each mileage reading, and whether it is taxed.

Questions

Ford C-Max: common questions

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

What is the most common MOT failure on the Ford C-Max?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the Ford C-Max was lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 13.3% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 10.8% for all cars and vans. Next came tyres (9.0%) and suspension (8.5%).

What is the MOT pass rate for the Ford C-Max?

67.8% of 105,820 initial MOT tests on the Ford C-Max in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 6.4% passed after small repairs made at the test station within the hour (PRS). Across all cars and vans, 72.1% passed first time.

Does a lower pass rate mean the Ford C-Max is unreliable?

Not on its own. MOT results depend on age, mileage and upkeep as much as on design, so a model with many older cars on the road will usually fail more often. The table by year compares cars of a similar age. What matters most is the record of the car you are looking at, so check its MOT history before you buy.

What counts as a dangerous defect?

One the tester judges to be a direct and immediate risk to road safety, or to have a serious impact on the environment. The car fails and should not be driven until it is repaired. 10.8% of initial tests on the Ford C-Max found at least one, against 7.3% for all cars and vans.

Where do these figures come from?

From DVSA's anonymised MOT test data for 2025, published under the Open Government Licence. We count initial tests on cars and light vans in Great Britain, as DVSA does in its own statistics: retests, appeals and abandoned tests are left out, and so are advisories and minor defects.

More Ford models

All makes and models