Ford
Explorer
1,276 MOT tests analysed. lands in the middle of the pack — here's where Explorers pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 1.9 points below the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — buyers should expect more first-time fails than the typical UK car.
Pass
75.6%
Pass-after-fix
4.9%
Fail
18.2%
Avg miles
92,016
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
This model's production run straddles the January 2006 Euro 4 cutoff. Individual cars vary — check your registration plate on the government's ULEZ checker. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 .
The picture
Explorer: middle-of-the-pack on first-time pass
Across 668 MOT tests, the Explorer returns 71.6% first-time pass — below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a torn suspension dust cover. Battery insecure but not likely to fall and a number-plate lamp out round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 96,989, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
ABI Insurance Group
Group 36–44
A high-group car — insurance costs will be significantly above average. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
36–44
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
77 occurrences · 6.0% of tests
- 02
A battery insecure but not likely to fall from carrier
45 occurrences · 3.5% of tests
- 03
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
41 occurrences · 3.2% of tests
- 04
The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
40 occurrences · 3.1% of tests
- 05
Body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point
32 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
- 06
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
31 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
- 07
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
30 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
- 08
A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
29 occurrences · 2.3% of tests
- 09
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
21 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
- 10
An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
19 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£220–£660
If every one of this Explorer's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Build your own retest budget.
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Parts & supplies for this fix
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Recall history
20 UK recalls on record.
The Explorer has 20 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.
Buying or keeping an Explorer?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own an Explorer and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.