Ford Kuga common problems by mileage
What UK MOT testers flag on the Ford Kuga at each age and mileage, compared with all cars.
In 272,928 UK MOT tests of the Ford Kuga in 2023, the problem that most sets it apart from other cars is steering rack (gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt): recorded on 4.5% of tests of 2008–2010 cars at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km), 23× the rate for all cars of that age and mileage. Other stand-out issues: position lamp (not working) (3.7×); sub-frame (corroded but not seriously weakened) (4.7×); brake pads (wearing thin) (3.5×). The most common reasons a Ford Kuga fails its MOT are position lamp (not working); brake pads (less than 1.5 mm thick); wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively).
Last updated: · Source: DVSA anonymised MOT data 2023
What stands out on the Ford Kuga
Parts that MOT testers flag clearly more often on the Ford Kuga than on all cars of the same age at the same mileage (at least 1.5× the rate and 3% of tests).
| Issue | Type | First used | Mileage | Share of tests | All cars this age | Ratio | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering rack: gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt | MOT fail | 2008–2010 | 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) | 4.5% | 0.2% | 23× | 514 |
| Position lamp: not working | MOT fail | 2015–2017 | 60k–80k mi (97k–129k km) | 3.7% | 1% | 3.7× | 25,972 |
| Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened | Advisory | 2013–2015 | 120k–140k mi (193k–225k km) | 4.2% | 0.9% | 4.7× | 2,001 |
| Brake pads: wearing thin | Advisory | 2017–2019 | 0k–20k mi (0k–32k km) | 6.3% | 1.8% | 3.5× | 15,788 |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened | Advisory | 2021–2023 | 0k–20k mi (0k–32k km) | 4.9% | 1.2% | 4.1× | 715 |
| Coil spring: fractured or broken | MOT fail | 2010–2012 | 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) | 11% | 2.6% | 4.3× | 328 |
| Shock absorbers: has light misting of oil | Advisory | 2020–2022 | 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) | 4.9% | 1.4% | 3.5× | 1,045 |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively | MOT fail | 2016–2018 | 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) | 3.4% | 1.8% | 1.9× | 40,598 |
Ford Kuga by mileage (2017–2019 cars)
The most-tested first-use years. For each mileage band: how many MOT tests, the most common item, and the item that stands out most against other cars.
| Mileage | Tests | Most common | Stands out |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0k–20k mi (0k–32k km) | 15,788 | Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (8%) | Brake pads: wearing thin (6.3%, 3.5×) |
| 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) | 53,143 | Brake pads: wearing thin (17%) | Brake pads: wearing thin (17%, 1.9×) |
| 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) | 34,334 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (19%) | Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.6%, 1.8×) |
| 60k–80k mi (97k–129k km) | 10,420 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (21%) | Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.3%, 1.7×) |
| 80k–100k mi (129k–161k km) | 2,266 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (20%) | Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive (4.2%, 2.3×) |
| 100k–120k mi (161k–193k km) | 577 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (15%) | Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive (6.6%, 2.6×) |
Ford Kuga by first-use year
| First used | Tests | Biggest stand-out issue |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 2,886 | Exhaust system: has a minor leak of exhaust gases at 160k+ mi (257k+ km) (2×) |
| 2009 | 8,034 | Steering rack: gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) (23×) |
| 2010 | 9,739 | Coil spring: fractured or broken at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) (2.9×) |
| 2011 | 9,169 | Coil spring: fractured or broken at 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) (4.3×) |
| 2012 | 9,531 | Coil spring: fractured or broken at 160k+ mi (257k+ km) (2.6×) |
| 2013 | 12,920 | Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened at 80k–100k mi (129k–161k km) (2.6×) |
| 2014 | 22,822 | Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened at 120k–140k mi (193k–225k km) (4.7×) |
| 2015 | 30,794 | Position lamp: not working at 80k–100k mi (129k–161k km) (3.6×) |
| 2016 | 33,398 | Position lamp: not working at 80k–100k mi (129k–161k km) (4.1×) |
| 2017 | 36,982 | Position lamp: not working at 80k–100k mi (129k–161k km) (3×) |
| 2018 | 38,863 | Brake pads: wearing thin at 0k–20k mi (0k–32k km) (3.5×) |
| 2019 | 41,003 | Brake pads: wearing thin at 0k–20k mi (0k–32k km) (3.3×) |
| 2020 | 15,347 | Brake pads: wearing thin at 0k–20k mi (0k–32k km) (3.2×) |
| 2021 | 1,406 | Shock absorbers: has light misting of oil at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) (3.5×) |
How these numbers are made
From the DVSA anonymised MOT data for 2023: every normal MOT test of a car in Great Britain, with its mileage and every advisory and failure item. For each first-use year (pooled with the years either side) and 20,000-mile band we count the share of tests where a part was recorded, and compare it with the same share for every car of that age at that mileage. A cell is shown only with 300 or more tests. Advisories are tester notes, not failures. Figures describe UK-market cars; engines and equipment can differ in other countries.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (DVSA anonymised MOT data, 2023).
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the Ford Kuga?
In 272,928 UK MOT tests of the Ford Kuga in 2023, the problem that most sets it apart from other cars is steering rack (gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt): recorded on 4.5% of tests of 2008–2010 cars at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km), 23× the rate for all cars of that age and mileage. Other stand-out issues: position lamp (not working) (3.7×); sub-frame (corroded but not seriously weakened) (4.7×); brake pads (wearing thin) (3.5×). The most common reasons a Ford Kuga fails its MOT are position lamp (not working); brake pads (less than 1.5 mm thick); wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively).
Why do Ford Kugas fail the MOT?
Across 272,928 MOT tests in 2023, the most common failure items on the Ford Kuga were position lamp (not working) (6.5% of tests); brake pads (less than 1.5 mm thick) (3% of tests); wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively) (3.2% of tests).
At what mileage do Ford Kuga problems start?
The clearest Ford Kuga-specific issue, steering rack (gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt), peaks against other cars at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) on 2008–2010 cars (4.5% of tests vs 0.2% for all cars that age).
Where does this Ford Kuga data come from?
From the UK government's anonymised MOT test data (DVSA, 2023, Open Government Licence v3.0): 272,928 tests of the Ford Kuga. VinSnap shows the same numbers for your own car's age and mileage in the app.