Ford Transit Custom
From 132,075 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen and a tyre seriously damaged. The top issue, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, caused 2,587 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 2,587 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 2,112 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 2,106 |
| a headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of led | 1,402 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 1,398 |
| brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded | 1,337 |
| a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 1,250 |
| windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 1,159 |
| windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view | 1,137 |
| a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 1,098 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 46.7% of failures are serious: 38.7% are safety issues (brakes, steering, tyre damage) and 8% could actually leave you stranded. That's close to the 44.4% average across all models. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £82.
The warranty question
A 3-year-old Transit Custom passes its MOT 85.5% of the time. By 7 years old that drops to 77.1%, a 8.4 percentage point fall, right as the manufacturer warranty runs out. With an average repair bill of £82 when things go wrong, an extended warranty can make sense on a Transit Custom that's past its third birthday.
Ford Transit Custom on UK roads
The fleet is growing: 49,813 newly registered in the past year with 5,618 leaving, a net gain of 44,195. Currently at its highest numbers ever.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 497,013 | 12,847 | +13,391 | -1,587 | +11,804 |
| 2025 Q2 | 485,012 | 13,044 | +10,409 | -2,028 | +8,381 |
| 2025 Q1 | 477,274 | 12,401 | +14,592 | -797 | +13,795 |
| 2024 Q4 | 464,678 | 11,202 | +11,421 | -1,206 | +10,215 |
| 2024 Q3 | 455,557 | 10,108 | +13,555 | -2,390 | +11,165 |
| 2024 Q2 | 445,108 | 9,392 | +9,920 | -1,995 | +7,925 |
| 2024 Q1 | 437,321 | 9,254 | +11,942 | -2,604 | +9,338 |
| 2023 Q4 | 429,840 | 7,397 | +9,439 | -1,840 | +7,599 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transit Custom 300Limitd Eblue | Diesel | 48,408 | 14% |
| Transit Custom 280Limitd Eblue | Diesel | 41,669 | 12% |
| Transit Custom 300Leader Eblue | Diesel | 21,698 | 6% |
| Transit Custom 290 Eco-Tech | Diesel | 21,117 | 6% |
| Transit Custom 290 Ltd E-Tech | Diesel | 18,536 | 5% |
| Transit Custom 320Limitd Eblue | Diesel | 16,209 | 5% |
| Transit Custom 320Lmtd Eblue A | Diesel | 15,723 | 5% |
| Transit Custom 290 Limited | Diesel | 15,496 | 4% |
| Transit Custom 300 Limited | Diesel | 15,288 | 4% |
| Transit Custom 290 | Diesel | 14,948 | 4% |
| Transit Custom 270 Eco-Tech | Diesel | 13,982 | 4% |
| Transit Custom 270 Ltd E-Tech | Diesel | 13,569 | 4% |
| Transit Custom 300 Trend Eblue | Diesel | 13,132 | 4% |
| Transit Custom 280 Limited | Diesel | 12,282 | 4% |
| Transit Custom 320 Trend Eblue | Diesel | 11,646 | 3% |
| Transit Custom 300Lmtd Eblue A | Diesel | 10,775 | 3% |
| Transit Custom 300 Base | Diesel | 10,561 | 3% |
| Transit Custom 270 Limited | Diesel | 10,475 | 3% |
| Transit Custom 280Leader Eblue | Diesel | 10,122 | 3% |
| Transit Custom 290 Trend E-Tec | Diesel | 9,049 | 3% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 77.9% | wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2020 | 85.5% | a tyre seriously damaged, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 2019 | 82.5% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 2018 | 81.2% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
5 earlier years
| 2017 | 73.3% | a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2016 | 77.1% | a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2015 | 74.9% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2014 | 72.9% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2013 | 68.9% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded |
Typical mileage
Half of all Transit Customs tested had between 43,269 and 86,139 miles on the clock.
At 62,517 median miles, the Transit Custom has 0.029 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Ford models
| Ford Fiesta | 72.9% |
| Ford Focus | 74.7% |
| Ford Transit | 70.4% |
| Ford Kuga | 82.2% |
| Ford Mondeo | 73.8% |
Common questions
What is the Ford Transit Custom MOT pass rate?
The Ford Transit Custom has a 81.8% MOT pass rate based on 132,075 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Ford Transit Custom?
The most common MOT failure on the Ford Transit Custom is a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, which caused 2,587 failures. Other common issues include wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen.
How many Ford Transit Customs are on UK roads?
There are 497,013 Ford Transit Customs currently licensed on UK roads, with 12,847 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Ford Transit Custom at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Ford Transit Custom is 62,517 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 43,269 and 86,139 miles.
Buying a used Transit Custom?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 81.8% pass rate and an average repair bill of £82 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
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MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.