2018 Peugeot Expert — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2018 Peugeot Expert passed 85.9% of its 29,525 recorded MOT tests. Against vans of a similar age (16.1% fail rate), the 2018 Expert comes out 2.0pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.5% of tests against 5.2% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and headlamp — wipers alone was recorded 1,403 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.7% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 21.4% once past 150k — 3.2× the risk.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 18.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 12.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 17.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.5% | 3,100 |
| 2 | Visibility | 5.2% | 1,543 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.0% | 1,469 |
| 4 | Tyres | 3.6% | 1,073 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.5% | 730 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.9% | 556 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 1,403 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 1,177 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 1,022 |
| 4 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 1,013 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 765 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 678 |
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 | 18.9% | 5,569 |
| 2 | Tyres | 17.0% | 5,020 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 7.2% | 2,134 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 6.6% | 1,956 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.3% | 1,851 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.6% | 1,642 |
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 | 3,683 | 6.7% |
| 30-60k | 10,020 | 12.3% |
| 60-90k | 8,525 | 15.5% |
| 90-120k | 4,885 | 17.8% |
| 120-150k | 1,810 | 20.0% |
| 150k+ | 598 | 21.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 6,198 | 12.2% |
| 2022 | 6,050 | 13.0% |
| 2023 | 5,957 | 13.9% |
| 2024 | 5,678 | 14.7% |
| 2025 | 5,642 | 17.0% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Expert
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 10.5% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (10.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (5.2% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Brakes (5.0% 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 Peugeot Experts pass their MOT?
85.9% of the 29,525 2018 Peugeot Expert MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Peugeot Expert?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.5% of tests, followed by visibility (5.2%).
Does the 2018 Expert get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.7% in the 0-30k band to 21.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 29,525 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.