2018 Volvo XC90 2.0L Hybrid electric (clean) · DC18 CFU

The defining mechanical story across the MOT history is a persistent pattern of front-end wear and tyre management issues that has now escalated into a failure. The 2026-03-10 test recorded a pass, but only after a prior test on 2026-03-03 returned a fail with two serious items: an airbag or supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicating a fault, classified as a Major, and a Dangerous failure for a nearside front tyre with tread depth below the 1.6mm legal minimum on a 275/40/21 fitment. Underlying this failure are advisories that have appeared across multiple consecutive tests, specifically slight play in the offside front lower suspension arm ball joint, pitted and scored front brake discs, and thinning inner front brake pads. The fact that these advisories were carried over into the pass just one week later, rather than being rectified, suggests the corrective work was limited to the dangerous tyre and the restraint system fault, leaving the suspension and braking wear to continue developing. Earlier years show similar concerns, including inner-edge tyre wear at both rear corners in 2024, a differential oil leak flagged in 2023, and an inaccessible third-row seatbelt noted in 2021, indicating that this is a vehicle with ongoing chassis, braking, and rubber-component deterioration rather than one with a stable mechanical trajectory. With around 95,695 miles recorded over roughly eight years, the annual accumulation rate works out to approximately 11,962 miles per year, which sits broadly in line with typical private use for a vehicle of this age. There are no extended gaps in the testing record, suggesting the car has remained in regular road use rather than being laid up for prolonged periods. The mileage spread between tests, from the 2022 pass through to the 2026 retests, indicates consistent rather than erratic usage, which mechanically means the wear patterns observed in the MOT data are the result of steady, accumulated service rather than the concentrated stress of very high annual mileage. Nevertheless, for a heavy SUV of this size, the recorded mileage places the vehicle firmly in mid-life territory where suspension joints, bushings, brake discs, and drivetrain seals are approaching or have reached the point where replacement is expected, and this is consistent with the advisories observed. A prospective buyer should focus their pre-purchase inspection on the front suspension and braking components that have been flagged repeatedly. The offside front lower suspension arm ball joint play noted in 2024, 2025, and again at both 2026 tests should be evaluated physically by rocking the wheel top and bottom with the vehicle raised, looking for any clunking or further movement beyond what a worn but serviceable joint might exhibit, and listening for knocking over uneven surfaces during a test drive. The front brake discs, described as pitted and scored across two consecutive years, warrant a close look at the disc faces for lipping, hot spots, or runout, and a test drive should include firm pedal applications to detect any judder or vibration through the steering wheel which would indicate disc distortion beyond advisory wear. The inner front brake pads, flagged as wearing thin, suggest the caliper slides or guide pins may be sticking, so listen for any squealing or uneven release on a low-speed manoeuvre and confirm that both front calipers retract cleanly. The supplementary restraint system warning lamp failure is the most serious single item on the record and must be fully investigated before purchase, as it could indicate anything from a faulty seatbelt pretensioner or airbag module to a crash sensor or wiring fault, all of which require diagnostic interrogation of the airbag system rather than a simple bulb check. The 2023 advisory for a differential oil leak, though not classed as excessive, is worth inspecting from underneath for any fresh seepage or staining on the differential housing and around the driveshaft seals, as a worsening leak could eventually lead to a noise or an inability to maintain lubricant level. The 2024 advisories for rear inner-edge tyre wear are characteristic of a rear-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive geometry issue such as rear toe misalignment or camber wear, so a four-wheel alignment check is advisable, particularly as the same vehicle has now failed on a front tyre for being below the legal tread limit, indicating that tyre management has been a recurring concern. Finally, the persistent windscreen damage minor item should be inspected to ensure no crack has propagated since the last test, and the third-row seatbelt accessibility issue from 2021 should be physically confirmed as resolved.