1998 Ford Explorer — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1998 perform at MOT as they age

28 years

Current Age

57.1%

Latest Pass Rate

7,416

Total Tests (All Years)

114,831 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1998 Ford Explorer as it ages.

11 yrs51.0%

→ ↓0.2%

12 yrs50.8%

→ ↑2.5%

13 yrs53.3%

→ ↓2.9%

14 yrs50.4%

→ ↑0.3%

15 yrs50.7%

→ ↑1.6%

16 yrs52.3%

→ ↑6.7%

17 yrs59.0%

→ ↓0.3%

18 yrs58.7%

→ ↓0.2%

19 yrs58.5%

→ ↑0.4%

20 yrs58.9%

→ ↓1.2%

21 yrs57.7%

→ ↑7.7%

22 yrs65.4%

→ ↓8.9%

23 yrs56.5%

→ ↑5.0%

24 yrs61.5%

→ ↑1.7%

25 yrs63.2%

→ ↓6.1%

26 yrs57.1%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
11 yrs	51.0%	1,300
12 yrs	50.8%	1,178
13 yrs	53.3%	1,011
14 yrs	50.4%	816
15 yrs	50.7%	649
16 yrs	52.3%	530
17 yrs	59.0%	432
18 yrs	58.7%	358
19 yrs	58.5%	301
20 yrs	58.9%	151
21 yrs	57.7%	137
22 yrs	65.4%	104
23 yrs	56.5%	124
24 yrs	61.5%	91
25 yrs	63.2%	87
26 yrs	57.1%	147

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1998 Ford Explorer pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (26 yrs)	57.1%	147
2023 (25 yrs)	63.2%	87
2022 (24 yrs)	61.5%	91
2021 (23 yrs)	56.5%	124
2020 (22 yrs)	65.4%	104
2019 (21 yrs)	57.7%	137
2018 (20 yrs)	58.9%	151
2017 (19 yrs)	58.5%	301
2016 (18 yrs)	58.7%	358
2015 (17 yrs)	59%	432
2014 (16 yrs)	52.3%	530
2013 (15 yrs)	50.7%	649
2012 (14 yrs)	50.4%	816
2011 (13 yrs)	53.3%	1,011
2010 (12 yrs)	50.8%	1,178
2009 (11 yrs)	51%	1,300

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

51.0%

Age (yrs) 11Tests 1,300Avg Mileage 95,484Top Failure Brakes — 35.5%

2010High Fail Rate

50.8%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 1,178Avg Mileage 100,139Top Failure Brakes — 35.3%

2011High Fail Rate

53.3%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 1,011Avg Mileage 100,876Top Failure Brakes — 33.1%

2012High Fail Rate

50.4%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 816Avg Mileage 103,590Top Failure Brakes — 36.8%

2013High Fail Rate

50.7%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 649Avg Mileage 105,693Top Failure Brakes — 100.9%

2014High Fail Rate

52.3%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 530Avg Mileage 107,448Top Failure Brakes — 99.8%

2015High Fail Rate

59.0%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 432Avg Mileage 107,966Top Failure Brakes — 79.2%

2016High Fail Rate

58.7%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 358Avg Mileage 108,549Top Failure Brakes — 91.9%

2017High Fail Rate

58.5%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 301Avg Mileage 108,924Top Failure Brakes — 62.8%

2018High Fail Rate

58.9%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 151Avg Mileage 108,488Top Failure Brakes — 70.9%

2019High Fail Rate

57.7%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 137Avg Mileage 110,778Top Failure Suspension — 73.0%

2020

65.4%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 104Avg Mileage 109,425Top Failure Suspension — 64.4%

2021High Fail Rate

56.5%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 124Avg Mileage 111,092Top Failure Suspension — 83.1%

2022High Fail Rate

61.5%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 91Avg Mileage 114,772Top Failure Suspension — 61.5%

2023High Fail Rate

63.2%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 87Avg Mileage 114,663Top Failure Suspension — 60.9%

2024High Fail Rate

57.1%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 147Avg Mileage 114,831Top Failure Suspension — 83.7%

MOT results for 1998 Ford Explorer by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	11	51.0%	1,300	95,484	Brakes — 35.5%
2010	12	50.8%	1,178	100,139	Brakes — 35.3%
2011	13	53.3%	1,011	100,876	Brakes — 33.1%
2012	14	50.4%	816	103,590	Brakes — 36.8%
2013	15	50.7%	649	105,693	Brakes — 100.9%
2014	16	52.3%	530	107,448	Brakes — 99.8%
2015	17	59.0%	432	107,966	Brakes — 79.2%
2016	18	58.7%	358	108,549	Brakes — 91.9%
2017	19	58.5%	301	108,924	Brakes — 62.8%
2018	20	58.9%	151	108,488	Brakes — 70.9%
2019	21	57.7%	137	110,778	Suspension — 73.0%
2020	22	65.4%	104	109,425	Suspension — 64.4%
2021	23	56.5%	124	111,092	Suspension — 83.1%
2022	24	61.5%	91	114,772	Suspension — 61.5%
2023	25	63.2%	87	114,663	Suspension — 60.9%
2024	26	57.1%	147	114,831	Suspension — 83.7%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1998 Ford Explorer, with age trends.

Brakes

64.3%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

52.4%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

40.3%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

33.9%

— Consistent

Body, chassis, structure

32.8%

↑ Increases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	21.5% (11 yrs)	83.7% (26 yrs)	+62.2%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	35.5% (11 yrs)	75.5% (26 yrs)	+40.0%	🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2003 2004 2005 2012 2013 2014 2016 2018

← Back to Ford Explorer overview

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Ford Explorer page →

About This Data

This page shows how Ford Explorer cars manufactured in 1998 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 7,416 tests. Pass rates naturally decline with age as components wear.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.