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DFO 485W

1981 Ford Escort

Red Petrol 1993cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires17 Mar 2027
Tests21 (15 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate71.4%

Mileage

Typical for 1981 Ford Escort51,762 mi
4 checks still locked for this Ford
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationDFO 485W
MakeFord
ModelEscort
Year1981
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,993cc

All premium checks include

50+ data points
Finance Check (Experian) Insurance Write-off Salvage Auction Stolen Check Previous Owners Ex-Taxi, Police, NHS Mileage Anomaly Import / Export Scrapped Check Plate Changes

MOT History

15 pass 6 fail
Pass 18 Mar 2026

Nearside Front Inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 10 Jan 2025

Nearside Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Nearside Rear Suspension spring mounting prescribed area damaged but not considered excessive (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Offside Rear Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive leaf spring mounting (5.3.6 (a) (i))

numerous underside welded repairs

vehicle presented prepared for motorsport

Pass 2 Nov 2023
Pass 26 Sep 2022
Pass 13 Oct 2021

no standard seat belts fitted

Pass 12 Oct 2020

Nearside Front race harness fitted

Offside Front race harness fitted

Rear seat missing time of test

Pass 16 May 2019

Nearside Front Standard fitment seat belt missing ()

Offside Front Standard fitment seat belt missing ()

Rear Passenger seat(s) missing at time of test ()

Pass 13 Mar 2015

Offside Front Steering rack gaiter deteriorated (2.2.D.2d)

Fail 4 Mar 2015

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Nearside Rear Brake pipe fouled by moving parts (3.6.B.2a)

Nearside Rear Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (4.1.D.1f)

Nearside Rear Tyre(s) incorrect because tyres with different structures are fitted across the same axle (4.1.A.2a)

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure has a fracture which adversely affects braking or steering (6.1.A.1)

Offside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Front Tyre(s) incorrect because tyres with different structures are fitted across the same axle (4.1.A.2a)

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Offside Rear Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (4.1.D.1f)

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Offside Front Steering rack gaiter deteriorated (2.2.D.2d)

Pass 7 Oct 2013

Offside Front Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

no rear seats fitted at time of test due to full harness seat belts

Fail 4 Oct 2013

Nearside Front Tyre(s) incorrect because tyres fitted to all steerable axle are not of the same structure (4.1.A.2c)

Nearside Rear Rear position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front Tyre(s) incorrect because tyres fitted to all steerable axle are not of the same structure (4.1.A.2c)

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Rear Vehicle structure has an unsatisfactory modification, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Offside Front Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

no rear seats fitted at time of test due to full harness seat belts

Pass 19 Mar 2012
Fail 13 Mar 2012

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Tyre(s) incorrect because different size tyres are fitted on the same axle. (4.1.A.1a)

Nearside Rear Stop lamp adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.2.1f)

Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 3 Mar 2011

Nearside Rear Tie bar/rod has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Spare tyre defective

Fail 25 Feb 2011

Nearside Front Tyre(s) incorrect because a tyre fitted to a non-steerable driven axle is of a different type of structure from that fitted to another non-steerable driven axle (4.1.A.2d)

Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Nearside Rear Tyre(s) incorrect because a tyre fitted to a non-steerable driven axle is of a different type of structure from that fitted to another non-steerable driven axle (4.1.A.2d)

Offside Front Tyre(s) incorrect because a tyre fitted to a non-steerable driven axle is of a different type of structure from that fitted to another non-steerable driven axle (4.1.A.2d)

Offside Rear Tyre(s) incorrect because a tyre fitted to a non-steerable driven axle is of a different type of structure from that fitted to another non-steerable driven axle (4.1.A.2d)

Windscreen wiper control is inaccessible to the driver (8.2.1a)

Nearside Rear Tie bar/rod has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Spare tyre defective

Pass 23 Feb 2010
Fail 22 Feb 2010

Nearside Front Tyre(s) incorrect because tyres with different aspect ratios are fitted on the same axle. (4.1.A.1a)

Nearside Rear Tyre(s) incorrect because tyres with different aspect ratios are fitted on the same axle. (4.1.A.1a)

Offside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

Offside Front Tyre(s) incorrect because tyres with different aspect ratios are fitted on the same axle. (4.1.A.1a)

Offside Front Upper Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Rear Tie bar/rod locating pin locking device not properly locked (2.4.G.3b)

Offside Rear Tyre(s) incorrect because tyres with different aspect ratios are fitted on the same axle. (4.1.A.1a)

Parking brake lever, pawl mechanism pivot(s) locking device missing (3.1.4b)

all four tyres fitted are stamped for competition use only

Pass 23 Feb 2009

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Fail 20 Feb 2009

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Front Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

Offside Front Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

Windscreen has a sticker or other obstruction encroaching into the swept area by more than 40mm outside zone 'A' (8.3.1e)

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 8 Jan 2008
Pass 9 Jan 2007 23,613 miles

How Reliable is the Ford Escort?

Based on 4,961,191 MOT tests across 821,553 vehicles.

63.1%
Pass Rate
4,830
Miles/Year
38
Year Lifespan
821,553
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 465,333
Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded 447,459
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 433,778
Brake pipe excessively corroded 419,450
constant velocity joint gaiter split 203,602
Full Ford Escort reliability report

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DFO 485W is a 1981 Ford Escort in Red with a 1,993cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 71.4%.

Across all 1981 Ford Escort models, the average MOT pass rate is 76.7% with a typical mileage of 51,762 miles. This particular vehicle has a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

The most common reason a Ford Escort fails its MOT is suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded, accounting for 465,333 recorded failures. If you're considering buying DFO 485W, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Ford Escort typically stays on UK roads for around 38 years. At 45 years old, this Ford Escort is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of DFO 485W?

You can check the full history of DFO 485W by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was DFO 485W registered?

DFO 485W is a 1981 Ford Escort, first registered on 1 January 1981.

Is DFO 485W safe to buy?

The MOT history for DFO 485W shows 21 tests with a 71.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does DFO 485W have outstanding finance?

Finance checks require a premium vehicle report. This checks against all major UK finance providers to see if there is any outstanding finance on DFO 485W. If you buy a car with outstanding finance, the finance company can repossess it.

No warranty or guarantee of accuracy is provided for any free data on this page. The data guarantee applies only to information obtained through the purchase of a full check.