Does the Ford Ranger fail the MOT on steering more than it should?
The Ford Ranger records 2.69 steering failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 3.88 expected for a lcv of the same age mix: less than expected for its class and age (−1.19, 95% interval −1.24 to −1.13). It ranks 384 of 640 models on steering (1 = most failures above expected).
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · all models on steering · check a Ford Ranger by registration
What exactly fails on steering?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Ford Ranger is “A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play”, recorded 7,142 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 7,142 | 1.39 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated | 1,639 | 0.32 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 604 | 0.12 |
| The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any steering component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired | 581 | 0.11 |
| Free play in the steering, measured at the rim of the steering wheel is excessive | 574 | 0.11 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 514,983 (initial tests) · Method: failure items (major and minor) grouped by DVSA's defect tree; wordings with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
If a Ford Ranger gets a steering advisory, how often does it fail next time?
10.8% of Ford Ranger MOTs with a steering advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 12.1 months and 6,250 miles later (14,876 advisories followed).
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 14,876 (advisories followed) · Method: the same vehicles followed to their next ordinary MOT · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
Other pages for this model
Ford Ranger 1999 · Ford Ranger 2000 · Ford Ranger 2001 · Ford Ranger 2002 · Ford Ranger 2003 · Ford Ranger 2004 · Ford Ranger 2005 · Ford Ranger 2006 · Ford Ranger 2007 · Ford Ranger 2008 · Ford Ranger 2009 · Ford Ranger 2010 · Ford Ranger 2011 · Ford Ranger 2012 · Ford Ranger 2013 · Ford Ranger 2014 · Ford Ranger 2015 · Ford Ranger 2016 · Ford Ranger 2017 · Ford Ranger 2018 · Ford Ranger 2019 · Ford Ranger 2020 · Ford Ranger by postcode area · Ford Ranger body, chassis and structure failures · Ford Ranger brakes failures · Ford Ranger vehicle identification failures · Ford Ranger lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Ford Ranger noise, emissions and leaks failures · Ford Ranger road wheels failures · Ford Ranger seat belts and airbags failures · Ford Ranger suspension failures · Ford Ranger tyres failures · Ford Ranger visibility failures