2018 Ford Journey — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2018 Ford Journey passed 77.5% of its 564 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail 11.1% of the time, so this is 11.4pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and seat belts & restraints.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 12.6% of tests against 6.7% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, on or after 01/01/2014 and ball joint — headlamp aim alone was recorded 47 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2018 Journey fails 23.0% of the time in the 30-60k band and 25.7% at 150k+, a spread of only 2.7 points.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 21.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 16.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 25.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 12.6% | 71 |
| 2 | Brakes | 6.7% | 38 |
| 3 | Seat belts & restraints | 6.2% | 35 |
| 4 | Tyres | 6.0% | 34 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.5% | 31 |
| 6 | Suspension | 5.3% | 30 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 47 |
| 2 | On or after 01/01/2014 | 24 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 20 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 19 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 17 |
| 6 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 17 |
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 | 21.8% | 123 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.1% | 108 |
| 3 | Seat belts & restraints | 17.7% | 100 |
| 4 | Other defects | 11.3% | 64 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 8.5% | 48 |
| 6 | Suspension | 7.4% | 42 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 74 | 23.0% |
| 60-90k | 102 | 16.7% |
| 90-120k | 113 | 20.3% |
| 120-150k | 108 | 27.8% |
| 150k+ | 152 | 25.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 102 | 16.7% |
| 2022 | 111 | 23.4% |
| 2023 | 115 | 18.3% |
| 2024 | 124 | 27.4% |
| 2025 | 112 | 25.9% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Journey
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 12.6% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (12.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (6.7% 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.
- Seat belts & restraints (6.2% of tests): Belt damage or faulty pretensioners — usually straightforward but safety-critical. Typical repair: £50–£300.
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 Journeys pass their MOT?
77.5% of the 564 2018 Ford Journey MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 22.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Ford Journey?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 12.6% of tests, followed by brakes (6.7%).
Does the 2018 Journey get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 23.0% in the 30-60k band to 25.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 564 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.