Ford Fusion 2003: MOT failure rate for its age
46.7% of 38,800 MOT tests of the Ford Fusion first registered in 2003 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 102.9 (95% CI 101.4–104.3; 100 = normal for this model at that age): close to other build years of the same model at the same age (within 5 points of normal).
| Measure | Value | Unit | Compared with | Years | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failed first time | 46.7 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 38800 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 101.4–104.3) | 102.9 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 38800 |
| Rank among this model's 11 build years | 9 | of 11 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 38800 |
| Tested in 2024 | 3713 | tests | median 95,248 miles | 2024 | 3713 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2003 Ford Fusion fail at each age?
Cars built in 2003 were tested at ages 16 to 21 between 2019 and 2024. Each row compares their first-time failure share with what this model normally shows at that age, after allowing for the overall failure level of each test year.
| Age | Tests | Failed, % | 95% interval | Normal for this model at that age, % | Index (100 = normal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 10,238 | 47.4 | 46.4–48.4 | 47.6 | 99.6 |
| 17 | 7,980 | 47.2 | 46.1–48.3 | 45.1 | 104.7 |
| 18 | 6,732 | 46.7 | 45.5–47.9 | 45.3 | 103 |
| 19 | 5,525 | 46.7 | 45.4–48 | 44.2 | 105.7 |
| 20 | 4,612 | 45.3 | 43.9–46.8 | 44.1 | 102.9 |
| 21 | 3,713 | 45.9 | 44.3–47.5 | 44.2 | 103.8 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 38,800 (initial tests) · Method: normal rate = this model's first-time failure share at that age across its build years (cells of 400+ tests), adjusted for each test year's overall level; cells of 30+ tests, under 500 marked rough · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
What fails most on the 2003 Ford Fusion?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2003 is lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 54.7 items per 100 first tests, against 35.2 across all build years of the Ford Fusion. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2003 were tested at ages 16 to 21.
| Failure group | Built 2003, per 100 | All build years, per 100 | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 54.7 | 35.2 | 21,241 |
| Brakes | 30.4 | 19.2 | 11,784 |
| Suspension | 29.4 | 22.3 | 11,421 |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 13.8 | 6.1 | 5,361 |
| Visibility | 13.6 | 10.6 | 5,264 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 38,800 (initial tests of this build year) · Method: failure items grouped by DVSA's top-level defect groups, per 100 initial tests; groups with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How does 2003 compare with the years around it?
Among the 11 published build years of the Ford Fusion, 2003 ranks 9 (1 = fails least for its age). 2002: index 105.1. 2004: index 99.6.
| Build year | Index (100 = normal) | 95% interval | Verdict | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 105.1 | 101.1–109.1 | worse | 5,469 |
| 2003 | 102.9 | 101.4–104.3 | worse | 38,800 |
| 2004 | 99.6 | 98.1–101.0 | no different | 39,170 |
| 2005 | 99.2 | 97.7–100.7 | no different | 39,174 |
| 2006 | 105.0 | 103.6–106.3 | worse | 51,908 |
| 2007 | 100.2 | 98.9–101.5 | no different | 54,265 |
| 2008 | 97.1 | 95.8–98.5 | better | 56,019 |
| 2009 | 97.2 | 95.9–98.6 | better | 56,533 |
| 2010 | 98.6 | 96.9–100.4 | no different | 36,733 |
| 2011 | 89.2 | 86.5–91.8 | better | 15,861 |
| 2012 | 88.8 | 83.8–93.8 | better | 4,996 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 398,928 (initial tests) · Method: observed failures against those expected for the same model at the same ages, test-year level adjusted; verdict follows the printed one-decimal bound · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How to cite this page
MOT Risk Index (2026). Ford Fusion 2003 MOT statistics (data release dvsa-2024-v2; full dataset motriskindex-families-2024-v5, DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22975051), updated 30 September 2026. motriskindex.co.uk/cars/ford-fusion/2003/
How every figure is calculated: methodology. Age, test year and build year are tied together (age = test year − build year), so the test-year level is taken as observed, not estimated.
Other pages for this model
Ford Fusion 2002 · Ford Fusion 2004 · Ford Fusion 2005 · Ford Fusion 2006 · Ford Fusion 2007 · Ford Fusion 2008 · Ford Fusion 2009 · Ford Fusion 2010 · Ford Fusion 2011 · Ford Fusion 2012 · Ford Fusion in Finland · Ford Fusion in the Netherlands · Ford Fusion by postcode area · Ford Fusion body, chassis and structure failures · Ford Fusion brakes failures · Ford Fusion vehicle identification failures · Ford Fusion lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Ford Fusion noise, emissions and leaks failures · Ford Fusion road wheels failures · Ford Fusion seat belts and airbags failures · Ford Fusion steering failures · Ford Fusion suspension failures · Ford Fusion tyres failures · Ford Fusion visibility failures