2018 Ford EcoSport — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2018 Ford EcoSport passed 91.2% of its 122,559 recorded MOT tests. Small SUVs of a similar age fail 9.9% of the time, so this is 1.1pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (6.6%) and tyres (3.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp, stop lamp and headlamp aim — headlamp alone was recorded 3,521 times.
A 120-150k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 17.1% versus 5.5%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 8.6% of the time against 10.1% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 22.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 5.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.6% | 8,087 |
| 2 | Tyres | 3.7% | 4,581 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.5% | 3,069 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.9% | 2,318 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.7% | 902 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.4% | 459 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp | 3,521 |
| 2 | Stop lamp | 2,871 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 2,557 |
| 4 | Washers | 1,973 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 1,659 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 1,202 |
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 | 22.7% | 27,843 |
| 2 | Brakes | 8.2% | 10,052 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.3% | 7,675 |
| 4 | Suspension | 2.3% | 2,836 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.4% | 1,672 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.3% | 1,570 |
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 | 69,905 | 5.5% |
| 30-60k | 45,552 | 12.3% |
| 60-90k | 6,450 | 17.3% |
| 90-120k | 584 | 21.4% |
| 120-150k | 41 | 17.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 112,797 | 8.6% |
| Diesel | 9,762 | 10.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 24,207 | 5.8% |
| 2022 | 24,062 | 6.5% |
| 2023 | 24,589 | 8.7% |
| 2024 | 24,501 | 10.6% |
| 2025 | 25,200 | 12.0% |
What to check before buying a 2018 EcoSport
On a 2018 EcoSport, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 6.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (6.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (3.7% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Brakes (2.5% 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 EcoSports pass their MOT?
91.2% of the 122,559 2018 Ford EcoSport MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 8.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Ford EcoSport?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.6% of tests, followed by tyres (3.7%).
Does the 2018 EcoSport get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.5% in the 0-30k band to 17.1% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 122,559 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.