CarVerify

Free Car Check

S280 KGO

1998 Ford Cougar

Silver Petrol 2544cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires29 Jul 2026
Tests24 (13 pass, 11 fail)
Pass rate54.2%

Mileage

144,294 mi
Last recorded144,294 miles
Recorded on30 Jul 2025
Typical for 1998 Ford Cougar87,878 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Ford
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationS280 KGO
MakeFord
ModelCougar
Year1998
ColourSilver
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,544cc

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

13 pass 11 fail
Pass 30 Jul 2025 144,294 miles

Brake fluid close to minimum mark (1.1.10 (d) (ii))

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material x2 (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Fail 17 Jul 2025 144,280 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Brake fluid close to minimum mark (1.1.10 (d) (ii))

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material x2 (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 5 Mar 2024 143,696 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material both front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material both front (1.1.11 (c))

Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Rear Road wheel slightly distorted (5.2.2 (c) (i))

Rear Sub-frame is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Fail 5 Mar 2024 143,696 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Nearside Headlamp lens seriously defective (4.1.1 (b) (ii))

Offside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Offside Headlamp lens seriously defective (4.1.1 (b) (ii))

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material both front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material both front (1.1.11 (c))

Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Rear Road wheel slightly distorted (5.2.2 (c) (i))

Rear Sub-frame is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 7 Mar 2023 143,331 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material both front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Road wheel slightly distorted (5.2.2 (c) (i))

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Rear Sub-frame is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Fail 3 Mar 2023 143,328 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Nearside Rear Position lamp adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (4.2.3 (c))

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material both front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Road wheel slightly distorted (5.2.2 (c) (i))

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Rear Sub-frame is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 4 Mar 2021 142,868 miles

Brake fluid close to minimum mark (1.1.10 (d) (ii))

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material both front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Rear Sub-frame is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 15 Jan 2020 142,457 miles

Brake fluid close to minimum mark (1.1.10 (d) (ii))

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material both front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Rear Sub-frame is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 24 Dec 2018 142,408 miles
Fail 17 Dec 2018 142,408 miles

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

Brake fluid close to minimum mark (1.1.10 (d) (ii))

Pass 31 Jan 2018 142,397 miles
Fail 30 Jan 2018 142,396 miles

Offside Front Road wheel fixings not compatible spacesaver fitted (4.2.B.2)

Stop lamp not working stop lamps staying on (1.2.1b)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 21 Feb 2017 140,557 miles

Offside Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Fail 20 Feb 2017 140,557 miles

Nearside Front Front suspension has excessive movement at a wishbone pin or bush (2.5.A.1c)

Brake pedal spongy (3.3.B.1b) DANGEROUS

Offside Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Pass 14 Aug 2014 138,625 miles

Fuel pipe corroded nr tank

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) slightly corroded (2.3.2)

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

Fail 23 Jul 2014 138,621 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

Front registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

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

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

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

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

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

Fail 14 Jul 2011 138,608 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

Front registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Rear registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

Pass 6 Nov 2009 133,879 miles
Fail 6 Nov 2009 133,879 miles

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Pass 7 Nov 2008 122,565 miles
Fail 4 Nov 2008 122,562 miles

Nearside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

Pass 30 Oct 2007 109,707 miles
Pass 6 Nov 2006 97,474 miles
Fail 6 Nov 2006 97,474 miles

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

How Reliable is the Ford Cougar?

Based on 152,057 MOT tests across 13,390 vehicles.

66.3%
Pass Rate
5,383
Miles/Year
28
Year Lifespan
13,390
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 11,699
Brake pipe excessively corroded 11,462
position lamp(s) not working 9,511
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 8,919
parking brake recording little or no effort 5,673
Full Ford Cougar reliability report

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

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.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

S280 KGO is a 1998 Ford Cougar in Silver with a 2,544cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 54.2%.

Across all 1998 Ford Cougar models, the average MOT pass rate is 64.8% with a typical mileage of 87,878 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 Cougar fails its MOT is parking brake: efficiency below requirements, accounting for 11,699 recorded failures. If you're considering buying S280 KGO, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of S280 KGO?

You can check the full history of S280 KGO by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S280 KGO registered?

S280 KGO is a 1998 Ford Cougar, first registered on 11 November 1998.

Is S280 KGO safe to buy?

The MOT history for S280 KGO shows 24 tests with a 54.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does S280 KGO 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 S280 KGO. 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.