2018 Ford Focus — MOT failures & pass rate
265,885 MOT tests on the 2018 Ford Focus are in this dataset, and 89.8% of them passed. That is effectively the same as small family cars of a similar age (10.4% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.0%) and lighting & signalling (4.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, brake pads and headlamp aim — tread depth alone was recorded 6,973 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.5% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 17.4% once past 150k — 2.7× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 9.7% fail against 11.9% for diesel, a 2.3-point gap across 265,885 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 23.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 7.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.0% | 13,329 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 4.4% | 11,609 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.2% | 5,831 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.6% | 4,328 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.4% | 3,609 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.6% | 1,499 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 6,973 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 5,707 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 5,099 |
| 4 | Washers | 3,055 |
| 5 | Catalyst emissions | 2,330 |
| 6 | Side repeaters | 2,269 |
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 | 23.3% | 62,054 |
| 2 | Brakes | 13.5% | 35,920 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.3% | 19,513 |
| 4 | Suspension | 2.3% | 6,013 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.9% | 4,957 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.3% | 3,547 |
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 | 102,863 | 6.5% |
| 30-60k | 118,563 | 11.4% |
| 60-90k | 34,769 | 15.0% |
| 90-120k | 7,354 | 16.4% |
| 120-150k | 1,742 | 16.7% |
| 150k+ | 581 | 17.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 205,222 | 9.7% |
| Diesel | 60,663 | 11.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 53,461 | 7.5% |
| 2022 | 52,951 | 8.8% |
| 2023 | 53,292 | 10.4% |
| 2024 | 52,973 | 11.7% |
| 2025 | 53,208 | 12.5% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Focus
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 5.0% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (5.0% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (4.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (2.2% 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 Focuss pass their MOT?
89.8% of the 265,885 2018 Ford Focus MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Ford Focus?
Tyres, recorded in 5.0% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (4.4%).
Does the 2018 Focus get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.5% in the 0-30k band to 17.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 265,885 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.