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NWA 856X

1981 Ford Escort

White Petrol 1597cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires29 May 2027
Tests29 (22 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate75.9%

Mileage

79,400 mi
Last recorded79,400 miles
Recorded on6 May 2026
Typical for 1981 Ford Escort51,762 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Ford
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationNWA 856X
MakeFord
ModelEscort
Year1981
ColourWhite
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,597cc

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

22 pass 7 fail
Pass 6 May 2026 79,400 miles
Pass 27 May 2025 79,352 miles
Pass 30 May 2024 79,316 miles
Pass 21 Jul 2023 79,127 miles
Pass 19 Jul 2022 78,948 miles
Pass 19 Jul 2021 78,738 miles
Pass 20 Jul 2020 78,556 miles

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened both (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Pass 26 Jul 2019 76,332 miles
Pass 21 Jul 2018 71,429 miles

Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge both front (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 29 Jul 2017 66,152 miles
Pass 23 Jul 2016 61,383 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Tyre worn close to the legal limit both rear (4.1.E.1)

Pass 25 Jul 2015 57,244 miles
Pass 22 Jul 2014 50,779 miles

Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Fail 21 Jul 2014 50,799 miles

Nearside Rear wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.6.1)

Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.6.1)

Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c) DANGEROUS

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

osf steering rack gaiter twisted

Pass 12 Aug 2013 48,318 miles
Fail 20 Jul 2013 48,307 miles

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Front Front wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.5.A.2) DANGEROUS

Offside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a) DANGEROUS

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7) DANGEROUS

rear parking (secondary) brakes imbalanced (3.7.B.6b) DANGEROUS

Pass 28 Jul 2012 43,521 miles
Pass 30 Jul 2011 37,448 miles
Pass 23 Jul 2010 36,220 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Rear Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Fail 23 Jul 2010 36,220 miles

Brake cable locking device insecure (3.5.1l)

Nearside Inner Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3) DANGEROUS

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

Offside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a) DANGEROUS

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7) DANGEROUS

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Rear Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Pass 23 Jul 2009 27,821 miles
Pass 29 Jul 2008 21,158 miles
Fail 24 Jul 2008 21,157 miles

Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Nearside Front Front wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.5.A.2)

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3) DANGEROUS

Pass 26 Jul 2007 19,462 miles

Nearside Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Offside Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Fail 25 Jul 2007 19,462 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (7.3.B.1a)

Nearside Front Front constant velocity joint gaiter split (2.5.C.1a)

Nearside front brake juddering severely (3.7.A.2b)

Nearside Front wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.5.A.2) DANGEROUS

Nearside Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Offside Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Pass 5 Aug 2006 17,888 miles
Fail 29 Jul 2006 17,886 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (7.3.B.1a)

Nearside Front constant velocity joint gaiter split (2.5.C.1a)

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Pass 30 Jul 2005 16,037 miles
Fail 23 Jul 2005 16,037 miles

Nearside Front Front wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.5.A.2)

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside Inner Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

Nearside Front Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded (3.6.B.4e) DANGEROUS

Nearside Rear Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded (3.6.B.4e) DANGEROUS

Offside Front Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded (3.6.B.4e) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded (3.6.B.4e) DANGEROUS

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

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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NWA 856X is a 1981 Ford Escort in White with a 1,597cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 29 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 75.9%.

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 NWA 856X, 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 NWA 856X?

You can check the full history of NWA 856X by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was NWA 856X registered?

NWA 856X is a 1981 Ford Escort, first registered on 1 August 1981.

Is NWA 856X safe to buy?

The MOT history for NWA 856X shows 29 tests with a 75.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does NWA 856X 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 NWA 856X. 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.