2008 Ford Fusion — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2008 Ford Fusion passed 77.5% of its 54,001 recorded MOT tests. That is 4.5 percentage points better than superminis of a similar age, which fail at 27.0%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 16.7% of all tests — 8.0 points clear of suspension, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are stop lamp, rigid brake pipes and rear fog lamp — stop lamp alone was recorded 4,468 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 11.2% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 29.9% once past 150k — 2.7× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.7pp more often than petrol ones (25.2% vs 21.5%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 31.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 20.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 24.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 16.7% | 8,995 |
| 2 | Suspension | 8.6% | 4,653 |
| 3 | Brakes | 7.5% | 4,038 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.9% | 2,624 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.8% | 2,567 |
| 6 | Tyres | 4.7% | 2,551 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stop lamp | 4,468 |
| 2 | Rigid brake pipes | 2,897 |
| 3 | Rear fog lamp | 2,277 |
| 4 | Wipers | 2,270 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 2,263 |
| 6 | Ball joint dust cover | 2,245 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 31.4% | 16,953 |
| 2 | Tyres | 28.2% | 15,221 |
| 3 | Suspension | 24.6% | 13,303 |
| 4 | Other defects | 12.7% | 6,880 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 9.3% | 5,013 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 9.0% | 4,845 |
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 | 1,675 | 11.2% |
| 30-60k | 12,236 | 16.7% |
| 60-90k | 19,435 | 21.8% |
| 90-120k | 13,293 | 26.4% |
| 120-150k | 5,358 | 29.4% |
| 150k+ | 1,871 | 29.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 39,235 | 21.5% |
| Diesel | 14,766 | 25.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 12,040 | 20.6% |
| 2022 | 11,589 | 21.6% |
| 2023 | 11,034 | 22.7% |
| 2024 | 10,204 | 24.0% |
| 2025 | 9,134 | 24.3% |
What to check before buying a 2008 Fusion
On a 2008 Fusion, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 16.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (16.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (8.6% 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 (7.5% 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 2008 Ford Fusions pass their MOT?
77.5% of the 54,001 2008 Ford Fusion MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 22.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2008 Ford Fusion?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 16.7% of tests, followed by suspension (8.6%).
Does the 2008 Fusion get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.2% in the 0-30k band to 29.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 54,001 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.