Used car guide

2018 Mitsubishi L200: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2018 Mitsubishi L200s, from 7,689 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

7,689MOT tests in 2025
80%pass first time (all 2018 cars: 81%)
10,000typical miles a year
17.4×the usual rate for rigid brake pipes

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2018 Mitsubishi L200s than on all cars registered in 2018.

  • Rigid brake pipes17.4× usual
    Mitsubishi L200
    13.9% All 2018 cars
    0.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.1%, against 0.1% of all 2018 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.

  • Anti-roll bar bushes and joints23.5× usual
    Mitsubishi L200
    4.7% All 2018 cars
    0.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.1%, against 0% of all 2018 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£280 (pair of drop links) Checkatrade

    At the viewing: Drive slowly over bumps and listen for a knock or rattle from the front. Worn anti-roll bar links are a cheap fix.

  • Shock absorbers2.5× usual
    Mitsubishi L200
    7.2% All 2018 cars
    2.9%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.2%, against 0.5% of all 2018 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £200–£300 (pair, average rear to front) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.

  • Number plate lights3.1× usual
    Mitsubishi L200
    5.5% All 2018 cars
    1.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.5%, against 0.6% of all 2018 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £5–£40 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the number plate lights work and the plates are clean and legal.

  • Sidelights2.9× usual
    Mitsubishi L200
    2% All 2018 cars
    0.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.9%, against 0.6% of all 2018 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

Better than most

Tyre condition: 5.2% here, against 13.9% of all 2018 cars.

By area

The share of 2018 Mitsubishi L200 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Brakes
    28% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Tyres
    20% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Suspension
    15% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Lights and electrics
    13% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    7% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Rust and bodywork
    2% of testsRough price £150–£1,000

    At the viewing: Check the sills, wheel arches and underneath for rust, and look along the panels for uneven gaps or paint.

Known faults

Reported by owners, mechanics and buying guides for this model and age. Check which engine the car has, as some apply to one engine only.

  • Cracked leaf springs
    All engines

    The rear leaf springs crack on pick-ups that carry heavy loads or tow. Listen for a regular knocking from a rear wheel.

    At the viewing: Look at the rear springs and listen for knocking.

    Source: Vanguide: Mitsubishi L200 common problems

  • Heater matrix leak
    All engines

    The heater matrix can fail early and leak, leaving an antifreeze smell and misted windows.

    At the viewing: Sniff for antifreeze and check the carpets are dry.

    Source: Vanguide: Mitsubishi L200 common problems

  • Head gasket and overheating
    All engines

    Overheating can lead to head gasket failure. A bubbling sound after switching off can mean the radiator is failing.

    At the viewing: Watch the temperature gauge and listen after switching off.

    Source: Vanguide: Mitsubishi L200 common problems

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20212,586Tyres 18%
20204,645Brakes 20%
20198,559Brakes 24%
20177,899Brakes 33%
20166,447Brakes 34%
20156,329Brakes 41%
20144,464Brakes 42%
20133,486Brakes 41%
20122,658Brakes 45%
20113,714Brakes 48%
20103,230Suspension 51%
20092,109Suspension 50%
20082,234Suspension 50%
20073,394Suspension 53%
20064,071Suspension 53%
20052,406Lights and electrics 51%
20041,809Suspension 48%
20031,265Suspension 49%
2002638Lights and electrics 48%
2001329Suspension 50%
2000185Suspension 52%
1999128Suspension 50%
1998105Lights and electrics 55%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2018 Mitsubishi L200s registered in 2018. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score