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Ford Excursion Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Ford Excursion car check

Is the Ford Excursion reliable? We analysed 1,014 real MOT tests across 123 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 1,014 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
75.9%
Typical Mileage
82,654mi
Annual Mileage
4,705mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
26yrs

The Ford Excursion is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Common problems include parking brake: efficiency below requirements, ball joint has excessive play and direction indicator incorrect colour. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Ford Excursion.

Ford Excursion Number Plates

Number plates registered to a Ford Excursion. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

Ford Excursion MOT Pass Rate by Year

How likely is a Ford Excursion to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.

75.8%
2005
77.5%
2004
80%
2003
72.2%
2002
79%
2001
71.7%
2000

Ford Excursion Problems — What Goes Wrong?

The most common reasons a Ford Excursion fails its MOT, ranked by how often they occur. Check for these problems before you buy.

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 38
Ball joint has excessive play 24
Direction indicator incorrect colour 24
fog lamp not working 22
Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick 20
parking brake recording little or no effort 19
Drag link end ball joint has excessive play 16
suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint 16
suspension has excessive play in a upper suspension ball joint 16
Registration plate lamp not working 15

Ford Excursion Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical Ford Excursion owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
2,081 mi/yr
Typical
4,705 mi/yr
Average
7,090 mi/yr
Heavy usage
9,446 mi/yr

Ford Excursion MOT Data by Registration Year

Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Ford Excursion year you're looking at.

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2005 128 75.8% 38,112 63,442 118,550
2004 182 77.5% 40,538 69,792 98,365
2003 130 80.0% 50,130 73,766 99,317
2002 180 72.2% 78,213 103,009 137,432
2001 100 79.0% 71,782 90,810 122,241
2000 198 71.7% 79,840 118,612 141,949

How Long Does a Ford Excursion Last?

Based on 123 Ford Excursion vehicles on UK roads.

Average
11.7 years
Median
11.0 years
Estimated max lifespan
26 years

Ford Excursion Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all Ford Excursion MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
82,654 mi
75th Percentile
121,774 mi
95th Percentile
166,035 mi
Max Recorded
666,946 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Ford Excursion

Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.

Best year
2003

80.0% MOT pass rate from 130 tests

Year to avoid
2000

71.7% MOT pass rate from 198 tests

The best year to buy a used Ford Excursion is 2003, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 80.0% across 130 tests. The 2000 model year has the lowest pass rate at 71.7% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the Ford Excursion Compare?

MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Ford Excursion THIS CAR 75.9% 1,014 82,654 mi 26 yrs
Ford Fiesta 72.8% 33,753,820 57,529 mi 34 yrs
Ford Focus 73.8% 28,316,889 72,500 mi 27 yrs
Ford Transit 68.7% 16,371,688 100,614 mi 37 yrs
Vauxhall Grandland X Ultimate Turbo 91.5% 402 23,792 mi — yrs

Compared to the Ford Fiesta (72.8% pass rate) and the Ford Focus (73.8% pass rate), the Ford Excursion outperforms both on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used Ford Excursion?

The Ford Excursion has an overall MOT pass rate of 75.9% across 1,014 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.

The most common problems on the Ford Excursion are parking brake: efficiency below requirements (38 recorded failures), ball joint has excessive play (24), and direction indicator incorrect colour (24). These are the faults most likely to cause an MOT failure on this model, so check for them carefully on any test drive or pre-purchase inspection. Many are wear-and-tear items that can be budgeted for, but a car that's already failing on multiple fronts may signal neglected maintenance.

A typical Ford Excursion owner drives around 4,705 miles per year. If the car you're looking at is significantly above this, expect more wear on suspension, brakes and tyres. If it's well below, the vehicle may have been sitting unused — check for perished rubber, corroded discs and stale fluids.

In terms of longevity, most Ford Excursion models stay on UK roads for around 26 years — a strong showing that suggests solid build quality and readily available parts. If you're buying one that's already approaching that window, the data suggests it has plenty of life left provided it's been maintained.

Before committing to a purchase, we recommend running a full vehicle history check on the specific car. This will reveal any outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies that the seller may not disclose — and that the MOT data alone can't tell you.

Ford Excursion — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Ford Excursion reliable?
Based on 1,014 MOT tests, the Ford Excursion has a 75.9% pass rate — above the UK average, suggesting good reliability.
What are the common problems on a Ford Excursion?
The most common MOT failures are parking brake: efficiency below requirements, ball joint has excessive play, and direction indicator incorrect colour. Check these on any test drive.
How many miles does a Ford Excursion do per year?
The typical Ford Excursion does around 4,705 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Ford Excursion last?
Most Ford Excursion models stay on UK roads for around 26 years based on our analysis of 123 vehicles.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Ford Excursion?
Yes. An MOT pass rate tells you about the model in general, but a vehicle history check reveals the specific car's finance, stolen, write-off and mileage history — things the seller may not disclose.
What is the best year to buy a Ford Excursion?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Ford Excursion is 2003 with a 80.0% pass rate across 130 tests.