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R81 MBL

1998 Ford Explorer

Red Petrol 4008cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires11 Mar 2026
Tests21 (14 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate66.7%

Mileage

143,984 mi
Last recorded143,984 miles
Recorded on12 Mar 2025
Typical for 1998 Ford Explorer92,272 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Ford
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR81 MBL
MakeFord
ModelExplorer
Year1998
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine4,008cc

All premium checks include

50+ data points
Finance Check (Experian) Insurance Write-off Salvage Auction Stolen Check Previous Owners Ex-Taxi, Police, NHS Mileage Anomaly Import / Export Scrapped Check Plate Changes

MOT History

14 pass 7 fail
Pass 12 Mar 2025 143,984 miles
Fail 20 Feb 2025 143,983 miles

Offside Rear Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Parking brake lever has excessive movement indicating incorrect adjustment (1.1.6 (c))

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))

Pass 23 Oct 2023 141,697 miles
Fail 7 Aug 2023 141,695 miles

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 3 Sep 2020 139,716 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material all brake pipes (1.1.11 (c))

Front Brake disc worn, but not excessively (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

all vehicle corroded underneath

Fail 3 Sep 2020 139,713 miles

Battery insecure and likely to cause a short circuit (4.13 (a) (ii))

Brake fluid contaminated (1.8 (a))

Rear Brake disc significantly and obviously worn (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material all brake pipes (1.1.11 (c))

Front Brake disc worn, but not excessively (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

all vehicle corroded underneath

Pass 10 Apr 2018 134,774 miles

Brake pipe slightly corroded front to rears (3.6.B.2c)

Central Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded inner wing (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Front Lower Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded inner wing (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front Lower Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Pass 8 May 2017 130,003 miles
Pass 6 Jul 2016 127,414 miles
Fail 22 Jun 2016 127,414 miles

Windscreen has damage to the swept area in excess of a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 1 Jul 2015 125,236 miles

front screen cracked surface rust under side and steal pipes rear anti roll bar links worn some play in front bushes and hubs

Fail 30 Jun 2015 125,231 miles

Front Anti-roll bar has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

front screen cracked surface rust under side and steal pipes rear anti roll bar links worn some play in front bushes and hubs

Pass 16 May 2014 124,782 miles

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Pass 11 May 2013 120,616 miles

Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Offside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Pass 19 May 2012 116,254 miles

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 29 Jan 2010 114,710 miles

Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

both rear outer tyre walls perished

crack in screen not in swept area

rear number plate deteriated

slight bind o/s/f wheel

Fail 23 Jan 2010 114,710 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage insecure (2.4.G.1)

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

both rear outer tyre walls perished

crack in screen not in swept area

rear number plate deteriated

slight bind o/s/f wheel

Pass 10 Jan 2009 111,362 miles
Fail 2 Jan 2009 111,293 miles

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.C.1b)

Pass 4 Jan 2008 107,421 miles

chip in screen

long travel hand brake

Pass 11 Jul 2006 98,577 miles

oil leak from engine †under side of car oily †play in front bottom balljoints †o/s/f tyre on limit †

How Reliable is the Ford Explorer?

Based on 69,767 MOT tests across 7,490 vehicles.

68.5%
Pass Rate
4,557
Miles/Year
29
Year Lifespan
7,490
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Brake pipe excessively corroded 5,568
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 3,403
Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint 2,515
Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick 2,513
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 2,251
Full Ford Explorer reliability report

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Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

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R81 MBL is a 1998 Ford Explorer in Red with a 4,008cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 66.7%.

Across all 1998 Ford Explorer models, the average MOT pass rate is 67.4% with a typical mileage of 92,272 miles. This particular vehicle has a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

The most common reason a Ford Explorer fails its MOT is brake pipe excessively corroded, accounting for 5,568 recorded failures. If you're considering buying R81 MBL, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Ford Explorer typically stays on UK roads for around 29 years. At 28 years old, this Ford Explorer is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R81 MBL?

You can check the full history of R81 MBL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R81 MBL registered?

R81 MBL is a 1998 Ford Explorer, first registered on 17 February 1998.

Is R81 MBL safe to buy?

The MOT history for R81 MBL shows 21 tests with a 66.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R81 MBL have outstanding finance?

Finance checks require a premium vehicle report. This checks against all major UK finance providers to see if there is any outstanding finance on R81 MBL. If you buy a car with outstanding finance, the finance company can repossess it.

No warranty or guarantee of accuracy is provided for any free data on this page. The data guarantee applies only to information obtained through the purchase of a full check.