2009 Ford S-MAX 2.0L Diesel · AO58 JDF

The 2009 Ford S-MAX holds a valid MOT certificate issued on 18 July 2025 at 181,590 miles, but the maintenance trend is mixed rather than consistently improving. The most recent test passed with four minor advisories, including front brake discs worn and pitted but not seriously weakened, front brake pads wearing thin, an oil leak assessed as not excessive, and a deteriorated rear registration plate. These are not new failures, yet they represent unresolved wear items carried forward from the failed test one week earlier on 11 July 2025 at 181,578 miles. That failure flagged a non-functioning nearside headlamp, an inoperative horn, a missing offside side repeater, and degraded anti-roll bar ball joint dust covers on both front sides. The fact that the car passed seven days later suggests the electrical and ball joint cover issues were addressed, but the persistent front brake and oil leak advisories indicate a pattern of deferring minor repairs rather than resolving them fully. The mileage accumulation is broadly typical for a vehicle of this age. Between the July 2023 test at 171,899 miles and the June 2024 test at 173,466 miles, the car covered approximately 1,567 miles in eleven months, a notably low figure that may reflect light use or a period of limited activity. From June 2024 to July 2025, the mileage rose from 173,466 to 181,590, an increase of 8,124 miles in roughly thirteen months, which is more consistent with regular daily use. The overall annualised average of around 10,682 miles aligns with typical usage for a large MPV of this age, and there are no glaring gaps or implausible jumps in the record that would suggest odometer tampering or extended periods off the road. A buyer inspecting this vehicle in person should focus on the front brake assembly, given the repeated advisories for worn and pitted discs and thin pads across both the failed and passed tests in July 2025. The oil leak, noted as not excessive in three separate tests spanning 2023 to 2025, warrants a close visual inspection of the engine and gearbox area to determine whether it has progressed from a minor seep to something requiring gasket or seal replacement. The rear suspension also demands attention. The July 2023 test recorded advisories for rear lower suspension arms corroded on both sides and a corroded rear coil spring, and while these did not reappear in later tests, corrosion on a seventeen-year-old vehicle can be progressive, particularly on subframes, sill edges, and suspension mounting points. The degraded anti-roll bar ball joint dust covers flagged in the 2025 failure suggest the front suspension joints may have been exposed to dirt ingress, so checking for play in track rod ends and lower wishbone joints is advisable. Tyre condition should also be verified, as the 2023 test noted cracking and perishing on both rear outer tyres, and age-related deterioration can recur if the vehicle has been standing for extended periods.