Ford Explorer MOT pass rate & common failures
The Ford Explorer appears in 3,350 MOT tests spanning model years 1991–2025, and 77.3% of them passed. That is 1.3 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 24.0%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (12.3%) and suspension (11.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint dust cover, ball joint and linkage pins and bushes — ball joint dust cover alone was recorded 163 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 22.8% versus 9.2%.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 32.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 25.6% in 2021 to 20.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Explorer model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 290 | 78.6% | 21.4% | Suspension |
| 1998 | 504 | 72.6% | 27.4% | Brakes |
| 1999 | 519 | 72.8% | 27.2% | Suspension |
| 2000 | 561 | 74.3% | 25.7% | Brakes |
| 2001 | 64 | 73.4% | 26.6% | Brakes |
| 2002 | 80 | 76.3% | 23.8% | Suspension |
| 2003 | 128 | 85.9% | 14.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 177 | 77.4% | 22.6% | Suspension |
| 2005 | 197 | 78.7% | 21.3% | Suspension |
| 2006 | 57 | 79.0% | 21.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 42 | 78.6% | 21.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 42 | 69.0% | 30.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 33 | 87.9% | 12.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 55 | 83.6% | 16.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 64 | 79.7% | 20.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 56 | 85.7% | 14.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 84 | 82.1% | 17.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2017 | 71 | 87.3% | 12.7% | Suspension |
| 2018 | 88 | 87.5% | 12.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2019 | 56 | 76.8% | 23.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2020 | 37 | 83.8% | 16.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 32 | 93.8% | 6.3% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 12.3% | 412 |
| 2 | Suspension | 11.0% | 370 |
| 3 | Brakes | 10.7% | 358 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.2% | 206 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.2% | 142 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.1% | 137 |
| 7 | Seat belts & restraints | 3.5% | 119 |
| 8 | Tyres | 1.9% | 64 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball joint dust cover | 163 |
| 2 | Ball joint | 163 |
| 3 | Linkage pins and bushes | 143 |
| 4 | Rear fog lamp | 136 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 136 |
| 6 | Prescribed areas | 127 |
| 7 | Decelerometer (sp) | 119 |
| 8 | Catalyst emissions | 112 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 32.5% | 1,088 |
| 2 | Brakes | 26.8% | 899 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 16.7% | 560 |
| 4 | Tyres | 15.4% | 517 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 15.2% | 510 |
| 6 | Other defects | 12.8% | 428 |
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 | 131 | 9.2% |
| 30-60k | 439 | 15.3% |
| 60-90k | 937 | 22.6% |
| 90-120k | 1,000 | 25.9% |
| 120-150k | 488 | 25.4% |
| 150k+ | 342 | 22.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 3,307 | 22.7% |
| Diesel | 34 | 26.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 888 | 25.6% |
| 2022 | 752 | 23.1% |
| 2023 | 658 | 22.3% |
| 2024 | 549 | 20.4% |
| 2025 | 503 | 20.1% |
What to check before buying a Ford Explorer
- Lighting & signalling (12.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (11.0% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Brakes (10.7% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Ford Explorer?
77.3% of the 3,350 Ford Explorer MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 22.7% fail rate, across model years 1991–2025.
What does the Ford Explorer most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 12.3% of tests, then suspension (11.0%).
How much does mileage affect Explorer MOT results?
Fail rates run at 9.2% for cars in the 0-30k band and 22.8% for 150k+, a 13.7-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,350 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.