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Ford Transit Custom reliability

D · Below average

MOT pass rates and common problems from 706,438 MOT tests of cars first registered 2015–2023.

Jump to: YearsEnginesCommon failures
77.7%pass first time
−3.1 ptsvs typical car
Beats 24%of cars
706,438MOT tests

Verdict

The Ford Transit Custom passes its MOT first time on 77.7% of tests, 3.1 points lower than a typical car of the same age and mileage (80.8%). That puts it ahead of 24% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.

By year of first registration, the 2018 Transit Custom does best (beats 41% of cars) and the 2022 worst (beats 6%).

Better than average on tyres, suspension.

Watch these weak spots

Lights & electrics1.5×as often as a typical car
Visibility1.7×as often as a typical car
Windscreen wipers1.9×as often as a typical car
Headlight bulbs & units2.3×as often as a typical car

MOT pass rate by age

First-time pass rate at each MOT by the car’s age in years.

70%75%80%85%34567879%78%78%77%75%72%
Ford Transit CustomTypical car, same age & mileage

Best and worst years

By year of first registration, ranked against all cars on UK roads after adjusting for age and mileage. Green = better than half of cars.

2015
Beats 17%
2016
Beats 43%
2017
Beats 14%
2018
Beats 41%
2019
Beats 34%
2020
Beats 17%
2021
Beats 10%
2022
Beats 6%
2023
Beats 9%

Engines

All years, most common first. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.

EngineYearsTestsPass rateRankGrade
2.0 Diesel2017–2023703,07277.8%Beats 24%D
2.2 Diesel2015–20163,36671.0%Beats 29%D

Where it fails

Each area compared with a typical car of the same age and mileage, in points of pass rate. Tap or hover an area to see what to check.

Exhaust: 1.3% of tests fail on emissions & leaks, against 1.6% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for a blowing exhaust at start-up and look underneath for oil or fluid leaks.Suspension: 1.0% of tests fail on suspension, against 2.5% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.Lights: 8.9% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 5.9% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.Tyres: 4.9% of tests fail on tyres, against 6.2% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Check the tread on every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts or bulges.Brakes: 5.2% of tests fail on brakes, against 3.7% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.Lights: 8.9% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 5.9% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.Lights−3.0 ptsTyres: 4.9% of tests fail on tyres, against 6.2% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Check the tread on every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts or bulges.Tyres+1.3 ptsBrakes: 5.2% of tests fail on brakes, against 3.7% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.Brakes−1.4 ptsSuspension: 1.0% of tests fail on suspension, against 2.5% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.Suspension+1.4 ptsExhaust: 1.3% of tests fail on emissions & leaks, against 1.6% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for a blowing exhaust at start-up and look underneath for oil or fluid leaks.Exhaust+0.2 ptsSuspension: 1.0% of tests fail on suspension, against 2.5% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.Brakes: 5.2% of tests fail on brakes, against 3.7% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.Tyres: 4.9% of tests fail on tyres, against 6.2% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Check the tread on every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts or bulges.Lights: 8.9% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 5.9% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.Exhaust: 1.3% of tests fail on emissions & leaks, against 1.6% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for a blowing exhaust at start-up and look underneath for oil or fluid leaks.Lights: 8.9% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 5.9% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.Lights−3.0 ptsTyres: 4.9% of tests fail on tyres, against 6.2% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Check the tread on every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts or bulges.Tyres+1.3 ptsBrakes: 5.2% of tests fail on brakes, against 3.7% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.Brakes−1.4 ptsSuspension: 1.0% of tests fail on suspension, against 2.5% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.Suspension+1.4 ptsExhaust: 1.3% of tests fail on emissions & leaks, against 1.6% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for a blowing exhaust at start-up and look underneath for oil or fluid leaks.Exhaust+0.2 pts
Better than typicalTypicalWorse than typical
Lights: 8.9% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 5.9% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.

Every MOT area

Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).

Lights & electrics
8.9% vs 5.9%
Visibility
6.6% vs 3.8%
Brakes
5.2% vs 3.7%
Tyres
4.9% vs 6.2%
Body & structure
1.8% vs 0.9%
Emissions & leaks
1.3% vs 1.6%
Suspension
1.0% vs 2.5%
Wheels
0.4% vs 0.3%
Steering
0.3% vs 0.5%
Seat belts & airbags
0.3% vs 0.5%

Buying one or MOT due? Check these

  • Windscreen wipers 1.9× typical
    Test the washers and wipers: a cheap fix, but a very common MOT fail.
  • Headlight bulbs & units 2.3× typical
    Check dipped and main beam on both sides.
  • Brake pads 1.5× typical
    Ask when the pads were last replaced and look for a brake-wear warning on the dash.
  • Brake lights 2.0× typical
    Walk around with the lights on: bulb failures are the easiest MOT fails to avoid.
  • Tyre damage & cracking
    Look for cuts, bulges and cracking on both sidewalls of every tyre.
  • Headlight aim
    Park facing a wall at night: both dipped beams should sit level and dip to the left.

Pass rate by mileage

First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.

60%70%80%90%100%0k10k20k30k40k50k60k70k80k90k100k110k120k130k140k150k91%85%80%77%74%72%71%69%
Ford Transit CustomTypical car

Most common MOT failures

ItemThis carTypicalvs typical
Windscreen wipers4.1%2.2%1.9×
Tyre damage & cracking3.6%3.8%0.9×
Brake pads3.4%2.3%1.5×
Headlight bulbs & units2.9%1.3%2.3×
Headlight aim2.6%2.2%1.2×
Windscreen washers2.0%1.4%1.4×
Brake lights1.4%0.7%2.0×
Tyre tread depth1.4%2.3%0.6×
Number plate lights1.4%0.9%1.6×
Drive shaft (CV) joints1.3%0.4%2.9×

Specific defects found

Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.

Defectper 1,000
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen40.8
A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED27.2
A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm27.0
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements26.1
A tyre seriously damaged22.9
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen19.6
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements14.2
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning13.4
Check another car

Pick a make and model to see its MOT pass rate, best and worst years and weak spots.

Every year and engine

Tap a year to see its engines. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.

2023 Ford Transit Custom1 engine77.4% passE
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
2.0 Diesel12,87877.4%Beats 9%E
2022 Ford Transit Custom1 engine77.2% passE
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
2.0 Diesel58,61677.2%Beats 6%E
2021 Ford Transit Custom1 engine77.4% passE
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
2.0 Diesel116,95777.4%Beats 10%E
2020 Ford Transit Custom1 engine78.1% passE
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
2.0 Diesel123,66178.1%Beats 17%E
2019 Ford Transit Custom1 engine78.1% passD
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
2.0 Diesel216,60778.1%Beats 34%D
2018 Ford Transit Custom1 engine77.6% passC
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
2.0 Diesel172,61677.6%Beats 41%C
2017 Ford Transit Custom1 engine72.0% passE
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
2.0 Diesel1,73772.0%Beats 14%E
2016 Ford Transit Custom1 engine74.2% passC
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
2.2 Diesel1,85574.2%Beats 43%C
2015 Ford Transit Custom1 engine67.1% passE
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
2.2 Diesel1,51167.1%Beats 17%E

FAQ

What is the Ford Transit Custom MOT pass rate?

77.7% of MOT tests on the Ford Transit Custom were passed first time, based on 706,438 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 2015–2023. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 80.8% of the time.

Is the Ford Transit Custom reliable?

On MOT results it rates D (below average): it passes first time less often than a typical car of the same age and mileage and does better than 24% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.

Which Ford Transit Custom year is best?

Among years with enough data, the 2018 Transit Custom does best for its age and mileage: it beats 41% of cars on UK roads. The 2022 does worst: it beats 6%.

What are the most common MOT failures on the Ford Transit Custom?

The most common failure items are windscreen wipers, tyre damage & cracking, brake pads. Compared with similar cars, windscreen wipers comes up 1.9× as often.

How we calculate this. We use official MOT results for cars tested in Great Britain from 2018 to 2026. Each car is compared with typical cars of the same age and mileage, so old and new cars are judged fairly; “pts” are percentage points above or below them. Differences also reflect how cars are used and maintained, not only how they are built.