2018 Ford Allied — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2018 Ford Allied passed 85.5% of its 5,011 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail 11.1% of the time, so this is 3.4pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (6.3%) and visibility (5.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and joints — wipers alone was recorded 212 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 21.9% versus 8.3%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 17.3% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 10.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 16.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.3% | 313 |
| 2 | Visibility | 5.4% | 272 |
| 3 | Brakes | 3.8% | 188 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.4% | 170 |
| 5 | Tyres | 3.4% | 168 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.7% | 137 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 212 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 116 |
| 3 | Joints | 109 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 104 |
| 5 | Linkage pins and bushes | 101 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 95 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 17.3% | 868 |
| 2 | Brakes | 15.7% | 785 |
| 3 | Suspension | 12.3% | 618 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.1% | 357 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 5.0% | 249 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.8% | 241 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 1,817 | 8.3% |
| 30-60k | 1,557 | 16.4% |
| 60-90k | 623 | 17.7% |
| 90-120k | 299 | 19.1% |
| 120-150k | 271 | 21.0% |
| 150k+ | 443 | 21.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 937 | 10.3% |
| 2022 | 973 | 12.8% |
| 2023 | 1,010 | 14.4% |
| 2024 | 1,034 | 18.1% |
| 2025 | 1,057 | 16.6% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Allied
On a 2018 Allied, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 6.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (6.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (5.4% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Brakes (3.8% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2018 Ford Allieds pass their MOT?
85.5% of the 5,011 2018 Ford Allied MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Ford Allied?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.3% of tests, followed by visibility (5.4%).
Does the 2018 Allied get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.3% in the 0-30k band to 21.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 5,011 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.