1998 Ford Mondeo — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 2,064 MOT tests, the 1998 Ford Mondeo recorded a 70.8% pass rate. Large family cars of a similar age fail 27.4% of the time, so this is 1.9pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, brakes and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 16.6% of tests against 11.5% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, catalyst emissions and prescribed areas — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 232 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 16.7% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 34.1% once past 150k — 2.0× the risk.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 41.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 30.3% in 2021 to 28.0% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 16.6% | 343 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.5% | 238 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 11.1% | 230 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.3% | 171 |
| 5 | Visibility | 6.6% | 137 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 6.5% | 134 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 232 |
| 2 | Catalyst emissions | 175 |
| 3 | Prescribed areas | 151 |
| 4 | Rigid brake pipes | 122 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 114 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 108 |
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 | 41.6% | 858 |
| 2 | Suspension | 40.6% | 839 |
| 3 | Tyres | 25.4% | 525 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 17.6% | 363 |
| 5 | Other defects | 15.0% | 310 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 14.6% | 301 |
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 | 30 | 16.7% |
| 30-60k | 288 | 20.5% |
| 60-90k | 553 | 26.8% |
| 90-120k | 525 | 31.1% |
| 120-150k | 362 | 34.0% |
| 150k+ | 305 | 34.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 1,901 | 29.0% |
| Diesel | 163 | 31.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 634 | 30.3% |
| 2022 | 505 | 29.9% |
| 2023 | 390 | 28.5% |
| 2024 | 296 | 27.7% |
| 2025 | 239 | 28.0% |
What to check before buying a 1998 Mondeo
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 16.6% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (16.6% 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 (11.5% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (11.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 1998 Ford Mondeos pass their MOT?
70.8% of the 2,064 1998 Ford Mondeo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 29.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1998 Ford Mondeo?
Suspension, recorded in 16.6% of tests, followed by brakes (11.5%).
Does the 1998 Mondeo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 16.7% in the 0-30k band to 34.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,064 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.