Ford S-MAX
From 128,357 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer S-MAXs fare better: 2021 models pass at 84.8% vs 63.8% for 2006.
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements and a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 4,857 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 4,857 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 4,405 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 3,482 |
| a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 3,022 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 2,878 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 2,737 |
| a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 2,622 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 2,379 |
| a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 2,309 |
| exhaust system leaking or insecure | 1,887 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 44.5% of S-MAX failures are safety items (worn brakes, tyre damage, steering play). The car still drives, but you shouldn't. Only 13.7% are the kind that would actually strand you. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £103.
Ford S-MAX on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 5,148 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 25 newly registered, a net loss of 5,123. At this rate, roughly 13.3 years until none remain. Now at 77.9% of its peak (87,734 in 2018 Q3).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 63,911 | 4,408 | +9 | -1,322 | -1,313 |
| 2025 Q2 | 65,319 | 4,313 | +2 | -1,214 | -1,212 |
| 2025 Q1 | 66,656 | 4,188 | +11 | -1,200 | -1,189 |
| 2024 Q4 | 68,045 | 3,988 | +3 | -1,412 | -1,409 |
| 2024 Q3 | 69,705 | 3,737 | +7 | -1,250 | -1,243 |
| 2024 Q2 | 71,110 | 3,575 | +14 | -1,150 | -1,136 |
| 2024 Q1 | 72,229 | 3,592 | +35 | -1,290 | -1,255 |
| 2023 Q4 | 73,692 | 3,384 | +34 | -1,150 | -1,116 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| S-Max Titanium Tdci | Diesel | 10,667 | 21% |
| S-Max Zetec Tdci | Diesel | 5,192 | 10% |
| S-Max Titanium Tdci 138 | Diesel | 5,184 | 10% |
| S-Max Titanium Tdci 143 | Diesel | 3,238 | 6% |
| S-Max Titanium Turbo | Petrol | 3,205 | 6% |
| S-Max Titanium Tdci 6G | Diesel | 2,450 | 5% |
| S-Max Titanium Sport Tdci Auto | Diesel | 2,437 | 5% |
| S-Max Titan Xsport Tdci | Diesel | 2,314 | 4% |
| S-Max Titanium Tdci Auto | Diesel | 2,177 | 4% |
| S-Max Zetec Tdci 140 | Diesel | 2,144 | 4% |
| S-Max Titanium Tdci 161 A | Diesel | 1,836 | 4% |
| S-Max Titanium Tdci 138 A | Diesel | 1,725 | 3% |
| S-Max Zetec Tdci 6G | Diesel | 1,560 | 3% |
| S-Max Titanium X Sport Tdci | Diesel | 1,428 | 3% |
| S-Max Zetec Tdci Auto | Diesel | 1,262 | 2% |
| S-Max Tita-Um X Sp Tdci A | Diesel | 1,191 | 2% |
| S-Max Titanium Ecoblue | Diesel | 1,052 | 2% |
| S-Max Titanium Tdci 140 A | Diesel | 1,006 | 2% |
| S-Max St-Line Ecoblue Auto | Diesel | 982 | 2% |
| S-Max Titanium Tdci 173 | Diesel | 950 | 2% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 84.8% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2020 | 85.5% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2019 | 79.2% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 2018 | 83.7% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
12 earlier years
| 2017 | 83.5% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2016 | 82.4% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2015 | 77.5% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2014 | 72.9% | a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2013 | 72.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2012 | 72.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2011 | 72.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2010 | 68.9% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2009 | 65.9% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2008 | 66% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2007 | 64.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a suspension component excessively damaged or corroded |
| 2006 | 63.8% | a suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
Typical mileage
Half of all S-MAXs tested had between 67,867 and 155,533 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 128,996 median miles, the S-MAX has 0.021 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Ford models
| Ford Fiesta | 72.9% |
| Ford Focus | 74.7% |
| Ford Transit | 70.4% |
| Ford Kuga | 82.2% |
| Ford Mondeo | 73.8% |
Common questions
What is the Ford S-MAX MOT pass rate?
The Ford S-MAX has a 73% MOT pass rate based on 128,357 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Ford S-MAX?
The most common MOT failure on the Ford S-MAX is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 4,857 failures. Other common issues include tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements.
How many Ford S-MAXs are on UK roads?
There are 63,911 Ford S-MAXs currently licensed on UK roads, with 4,408 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Ford S-MAX at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Ford S-MAX is 128,996 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 67,867 and 155,533 miles.
Buying a used S-MAX?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 73% pass rate and an average repair bill of £103 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
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MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.