2015 Ford Ecosport 1.5L Diesel · FH65 SWW

A clear and recurring mechanical theme has emerged around the suspension of this 2015 Ford EcoSport, with coil spring corrosion now appearing as advisories at every test since November 2024 and escalating into major failures at the most recent attempt. On 8 July 2026 the vehicle passed an MOT, but the test summary still lists both rear coil springs as corroded advisories, mirroring exactly what was noted on 18 November 2024 and indicating that the issue has neither been resolved nor arrested since first being flagged. The day prior, on 7 July 2026, the car failed on both front coil springs, which were judged to have their cross-sectional area reduced and seriously weakened by corrosion, alongside a Dangerous exhaust silencer likely to become detached. The earlier record was relatively clean, with passes carrying no defects in 2019, 2021 and 2023, and only minor brake and tyre advisories in 2020 and 2022, so the trajectory over the past twenty months is distinctly downward rather than stable. With seven MOT entries spread between November 2019 and July 2026 and a recorded odometer reading of 46,737 miles, the vehicle has covered roughly 4,250 miles annually on average, which is low for an eleven-year-old car. The gaps between tests are largely consistent with annual MOT scheduling rather than extended lay-ups, but the relatively modest annual accumulation means that braking components, suspension bushes and tyres will have aged through time and environmental exposure as much as through use. The corrosion pattern seen on the springs is consistent with a vehicle that has endured several winters of road salt while accumulating relatively few miles, allowing moisture to act on the spring steel without the regular loading that might otherwise mask the deterioration through mechanical wear. A prospective buyer should treat the suspension as the primary area of concern and budget accordingly. The front springs have now been recorded as structurally weakened by corrosion, and although the rear springs were only advisory on the latest pass, the symmetry of the corrosion pattern across all four corners suggests the rear items will not be far behind. On a test drive, listen for clonks or knocking from the front over bumps, pay particular attention to how the car settles on the rebound after a compression such as a speed bump, and watch for the nose dipping unevenly under braking, which can indicate a fractured or weakened spring. Inspect the springs visually with the wheels removed if possible, looking for flaking, deep pitting or any section where the coil diameter appears reduced, and check that the vehicle sits level at both ends when unladen. The braking record is secondary but still worth noting, as both front discs were flagged as worn in late 2024, having followed an earlier general advisory for front brake wear in 2022, so the pads and discs should be inspected for remaining material and lip thickness. The Dangerous exhaust silancer defect from the failed test on 7 July 2026 is a separate, immediate rectification item and the mounting rubbers, hangers and any joining sleeve should be checked for security and corrosion. The offside front wing mirror was also recorded as slightly damaged, a minor item, but worth confirming that mirror adjustment and visibility are not impaired. Finally, given the pattern of spring corrosion, examine the underbody more broadly, paying attention to the subframe mounting points, brake pipe clips along the chassis rails and the rear suspension beam for any surface rust that could follow the same trajectory as the springs over the next inspection cycle.