(2015 registrations)
presentation
at test
defect group
Almost 219,000 used Focuses were sold in the UK in 2025. As a used buy the Mk3 is straightforward: the MOT failure list is ordinary suspension, tyre and lighting wear, and repair bills are among the lowest of the top five. The decision that actually carries risk is the transmission, and it is easy to get wrong.
Figures are derived from the DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results dataset, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Every MOT records the test outcome plus each defect as a coded “reason for rejection” or advisory.
Percentages are share of tests, not share of failures — so “2.6% tyre tread” means 2.6 in every 100 tests failed for that item. A single test can record several defects, so the columns do not sum to 100%.
Top MOT failure items
These are the defects that actually caused a Ford Focus (2015) to fail its MOT, ranked by how often they appear across all tests.
Most common MOT advisories
Advisories are the early-warning layer. They don’t fail the car, but they tell you what the next owner will be paying for — and they are the single most useful thing to read before you buy.
| Advisory item | Share of tests | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Brake pads wearing thin | 14.1% | Budget £140–£280 per axle. |
| Tyre worn close to legal limit | 12.6% | 16–17in wheels keep costs moderate. |
| Suspension bush deteriorated | 11.9% | Ties to the No.1 failure item. |
| Corrosion to brake pipes or underbody | 10.6% | Watch for escalation on higher-mileage cars. |
| Coil spring corroded | 7.4% | Precedes the No.4 failure item. |
| Shock absorber light misting | 6.3% | Rear dampers usually first. |
| Engine oil leak (not excessive) | 5.4% | Check the sump and filter housing. |
| Brake disc lipped or scored | 4.8% | Usually replaced with pads. |
| Exhaust minor leak or corrosion | 4.1% | Check it is not the DPF on diesels. |
| Wiper blade deteriorated | 3.5% | Cheap, but a straightforward failure. |
Which system fails most
Grouping every recorded defect by vehicle system shows where the money goes on a ten-year-old Focus.
Across 1,327,920 MOT tests on all Ford Focus variants, the pass rate is 74.7% — about average for its class. Median mileage at test is 91,595 miles and the average repair bill after a failure is around £107, the second lowest in the UK top five. Of all failures, 41.7% are safety items and 15.8% are serious enough to strand the driver.
A 2015 Focus passes at 80.3%, above the model average because it is younger than much of the fleet: 2022 cars reach 89%.
Model averages describe the model. Enter the registration to see this car’s real MOT history, every recorded advisory, its mileage timeline and any finance, theft or write-off markers.
PowerShift (DPS6): the automatic to test properly
If you are looking at an automatic Mk3 Focus, this section matters more than everything else on the page combined. The DPS6 PowerShift is a dry dual-clutch gearbox, and it has a long-standing reputation for shudder and hesitation. A manual car avoids the issue entirely.
- Symptoms are shudder pulling away, hesitation, delayed or harsh shifts, and in bad cases limp mode.
- Three known failure points: the clutch pack, the input shaft seals (leaking fluid contaminates the dry clutches), and the TCM.
- A dry clutch has none of the cooling of a wet-clutch design, so stop-start urban use accelerates wear.
- Indicative repair: £800–£2,000 depending on which component has failed.
- Removes the single biggest cost exposure on the car.
- Check the clutch bite point and listen for a dual-mass flywheel rattle at idle.
- Indicative clutch and flywheel: £600–£1,100 — still far cheaper than a PowerShift rebuild.
- Most Mk3 Focus cars on the used market are manual, so you are not short of choice.
Known faults the MOT won’t catch
The MOT tests roadworthiness, not mechanical health. These are the expensive items owners actually report — costs are indicative UK independent-specialist ranges, not quotes.
Pre-purchase checklist
Work through this in order. The first few cost nothing and rule out most bad cars.
- Establish manual or PowerShift first. It is the single biggest risk decision on this car.
- If automatic, test from cold and in traffic — and uphill from a standstill. A motorway drive hides the fault.
- Ask for gearbox repair history. A documented clutch pack or TCM replacement is a positive, not a negative.
- On 1.0 EcoBoost cars, demand oil history to WSS-M2C948-B spec for the wet belt.
- Read the MOT history for repeated suspension and headlamp aim advisories.
- Check the springs and listen for front-end knocking over bumps.
- On diesels, ask how it was driven. Urban-only use and DPFs do not mix.
- Budget for wear items — on the advisory data, pads or tyres are usually close.
FAQs
Is a 2015 Ford Focus reliable?
On the MOT data, yes. A 2015 Focus passes at 80.3% and the average repair bill is around £107, among the lowest of the UK top five. The failure list is ordinary wear. The main risk is the PowerShift automatic gearbox rather than the car itself.
What fails a Ford Focus MOT most often?
Worn suspension pins, bushes and joints at 3.6% of all tests, followed by tyre tread depth and headlamp aim. Lighting problems are unusually prominent on this model.
Should I avoid the Ford PowerShift automatic?
Test it very carefully rather than avoiding it outright. The DPS6 dry dual-clutch is known for shudder and hesitation, with the clutch pack, input shaft seals and TCM as the failure points. A manual car removes the risk entirely.
Which Focus engine is the best used buy?
The 1.0 EcoBoost petrol is strong provided the wet belt has seen correct-spec oil. Diesels make sense only for genuine motorway mileage — on short urban trips the DPF becomes a recurring expense.
Is the Focus cheap to run?
Yes. Parts are plentiful and inexpensive, and the average MOT repair bill of around £107 is second lowest in the UK top five. The exception is a PowerShift gearbox repair.
A CarCheckReport covers MOT and advisory history, mileage anomalies, outstanding finance, insurance write-off records, stolen markers, import and scrapped status — using DVLA, DVSA and Experian data.