Ford Transit Custom: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Ford Transit Custom passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK vehicle, by 6.6 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 64,248 individual Ford Transit Custom tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

First-time pass rate83.3%
UK national average76.7%
Difference+6.6 points
Tests analysed64,248
Average mileage at test75,457 miles
Average year of manufacture2019
Reliability rank1,325 of 2,005 models

What this means if you are buying one

A 83.3% first-time pass rate means roughly 17 in every 100 Ford Transit Customs presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is better than average, so a well-kept example is a reasonably safe used buy. The average Ford Transit Custom tested had covered 75,457 miles and was built around 2019.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Ford Transit Custom sits 6.6 points above the national average, ranked 1,325 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, the mechanical side is less likely to spring surprises, so your repair estimate should hold up reasonably well.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific Ford Transit Custom rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see the median recorded closing bid for a damaged Ford Transit Custom: £400 at UK salvage auction, from 3 ended listings, not independently confirmed sales.

Most common MOT failures on a Ford Transit Custom

  1. Brake lining or pad worn down to wear indicator, 0.8% of tests (4.11x the national rate for this defect)
  2. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 3.2% of tests (1.48x the national rate for this defect)
  3. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 1.5% of tests (1.42x the national rate for this defect)
  4. A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED, 1.7% of tests (1.38x the national rate for this defect)
  5. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 2.5% of tests (1.34x the national rate for this defect)
  6. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 1% of tests (1.23x the national rate for this defect)
  7. A tyre seriously damaged, 2.5% of tests
  8. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 1.7% of tests
  9. A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 1.5% of tests
  10. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 1.4% of tests

From 74,731 DVSA-tracked Ford Transit Custom tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 5.61% of these flagged Ford Transit Custom defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Ford Transit Custom

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a Ford Transit Custom before it actually fails on it.

  1. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 5.7% of tests (1.8x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
  2. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 9.4% of tests (1.52x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
  3. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 13.5% of tests (1.44x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
  4. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 17.5% of tests, also fails
  5. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 12.6% of tests
  6. A tyre seriously damaged, 11.9% of tests, also fails
  7. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 5.5% of tests
  8. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 2.8% of tests
  9. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 1.2% of tests
  10. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 1% of tests

From 74,731 DVSA-tracked Ford Transit Custom tests, 2024.

Ford Transit Custom pass rate by model year

From its 2016 to its 2021 model year, the Ford Transit Custom's first-time pass rate has risen 1.2 points, from 74.9% to 76.1%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each Ford Transit Custom year:

Other Ford models

Models with a similar pass rate

If this van is a salvage or write-off

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Ford Transit Custom MOT pass rate badge: 83.3%

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Ford Transit Custom most common MOT failure: Brake lining or pad worn down to wear indicator (0.8% of tests)

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate