Does the Ford S-MAX fail the MOT on lamps, reflectors and electrics more than it should?
The Ford S-MAX records 24.29 lamps, reflectors and electrics failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 18.04 expected for a car of the same age mix: more than expected for its class and age (+6.25, 95% interval +6.11 to +6.38). It ranks 130 of 729 models on lamps, reflectors and electrics (1 = most failures above expected).
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · all models on lamps, reflectors and electrics · check a Ford S-MAX by registration
What exactly fails on lamps, reflectors and electrics?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Ford S-MAX is “A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources”, recorded 28,961 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 28,961 | 6.07 |
| A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 13,458 | 2.82 |
| Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 10,244 | 2.15 |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 8,326 | 1.75 |
| A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | 7,588 | 1.59 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 476,737 (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 S-MAX gets a lamps, reflectors and electrics advisory, how often does it fail next time?
30.9% of Ford S-MAX MOTs with a lamps, reflectors and electrics advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 12 months and 7,526 miles later (8,711 advisories followed).
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 8,711 (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 S-MAX 2006 · Ford S-MAX 2007 · Ford S-MAX 2008 · Ford S-MAX 2009 · Ford S-MAX 2010 · Ford S-MAX 2011 · Ford S-MAX 2012 · Ford S-MAX 2013 · Ford S-MAX 2014 · Ford S-MAX 2015 · Ford S-MAX 2016 · Ford S-MAX 2017 · Ford S-MAX 2018 · Ford S-MAX 2019 · Ford S-MAX 2020 · Ford S-MAX in Norway · Ford S-MAX in Finland · Ford S-MAX in the Netherlands · Ford S-MAX by postcode area · Ford S-MAX body, chassis and structure failures · Ford S-MAX brakes failures · Ford S-MAX vehicle identification failures · Ford S-MAX noise, emissions and leaks failures · Ford S-MAX road wheels failures · Ford S-MAX seat belts and airbags failures · Ford S-MAX steering failures · Ford S-MAX suspension failures · Ford S-MAX tyres failures · Ford S-MAX visibility failures