Known faults, from the test record
Ford Transit Connect common problems
What fails on the Ford Transit Connect at MOT, which parts are behind it, and how each model year compares. From 163,703 DVSA test records.
Data updated
Quick answer
The Ford Transit Connect's most common MOT problems are tyres, bulbs and lamps, wiper blades and washers, recorded in 36.1%, 31.8% and 19.6% of failed tests respectively. By model year, 2022 cars pass most often (79.1%) and 2006 cars least (47.9%), though most of that gap is age. Every figure here is what testers recorded, not what owners reported.
A “common problems” list is usually a forum thread: whoever had the worst day writes the longest post. This one is built the other way, from every Ford Transit Connect that took an MOT last year and what the tester wrote down. It cannot see breakdowns, electrical gremlins or a gearbox that hunts, because the test does not check those. What it can see, it sees across 163,703 cars.
By component
What wears out on a Transit Connect
Failure items grouped by the part behind them, with the share of failed Ford Transit Connect tests recording each. A part can carry several DVSA wordings; they are listed beneath. One failed test often lists several items, so shares do not sum to 100%.
1.Tyres
36.1% of failed testsTread wears with every mile and sidewalls age and take kerb damage; the legal minimum is 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters.
- “Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements” — explained15.3%
- “A tyre cords visible or damaged” — explained10.4%
- “A tyre seriously damaged” — explained8.4%
- “A tyre seriously damaged” — explained2.1%
Across all cars, tyres failures run at a similar rate at every age, because they are replaced on a cycle rather than wearing out with the car. How long tyres last
2.Bulbs and lamps
31.8% of failed testsFilament bulbs simply expire; the cheapest and most avoidable failure on the test, and one of the most recorded.
- “A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning” — explained9.0%
- “Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning” — explained8.4%
- “A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps” — explained7.1%
- “A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED” — explained5.5%
Across all cars, bulbs and lamps failures climb 15-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long bulbs and lamps last
3.Wiper blades and washers
19.6% of failed testsRubber blades harden and split within a year or two; washer jets block and pumps fail.
- “Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen” — explained12.5%
- “Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen” — explained4.1%
- “Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen” — explained3.0%
Across all cars, wiper blades and washers failures run at a similar rate at every age, because they are replaced on a cycle rather than wearing out with the car. How long wiper blades and washers last
4.Suspension bushes
16.4% of failed testsRubber bushes in arms and links perish and split with age and load; the most recorded suspension item on the test.
- “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained4.9%
- “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained4.3%
- “A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc” — explained3.9%
- “A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc” — explained3.4%
Across all cars, suspension bushes failures climb 20-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long suspension bushes last
5.Parking brake
15.2% of failed testsCables stretch and seize, rear shoes and adjusters wear; efficiency is measured on the roller tester against the vehicle's weight.
6.Brake pads and shoes
14.3% of failed testsFriction material wears with use; the MOT limit is 1.5 mm and a pad that thin is close to metal on metal.
- “a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm” — explained14.3%
Across all cars, brake pads and shoes failures run at a similar rate at every age, because they are replaced on a cycle rather than wearing out with the car. How long brake pads and shoes last
7.Suspension arms and mountings
13.9% of failed testsArms bend on impact and mountings corrode into the body; a corroded mounting is a structural item and fails as one.
- “The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired” — explained13.9%
8.Body and structure
12.2% of failed testsStructural corrosion within 30 cm of a seat belt, suspension or steering mounting fails; it is a disease of age, salt and wet storage.
- “Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced” — explained7.0%
- “Body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point” — explained3.0%
- “Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced” — explained2.1%
By registration year
Transit Connect problems by year
MOT pass rate for Ford Transit Connect cars by the year they were first registered, from years with at least 1,000 tests. Every car in a row is the same age, so the rate is raw. Neighbouring years differ by a year of wear — a step of a point or two is age. The step at 2014, up 6.9 points, is larger than wear explains and most likely marks a change in the cars themselves.
Last column: change on the previous year, in points. Years registered within the last three years have not yet been tested and are not shown.
Before it fails
What testers warn Transit Connect owners about
Advisories are the same parts a year or two earlier. Share of all Ford Transit Connect tests carrying an advisory for each.
- Tyres47.6% of tests
- Brake discs15.8% of tests
- Brake pipes14.5% of tests
- Brake pads and shoes14.3% of tests
- Suspension bushes5.3% of tests
Go deeper
The rest of the Transit Connect file
Common questions
- What are the most common problems with a Ford Transit Connect?
- Going by what fails the MOT, tyres (recorded in 36.1% of failed tests), bulbs and lamps (recorded in 31.8% of failed tests), and wiper blades and washers (recorded in 19.6% of failed tests). These are the items testers actually record across 163,703 tests, not reports from owners, so they describe what goes wrong at the point where it has to be fixed.
- Which Ford Transit Connect year is the most reliable?
- By MOT pass rate, Ford Transit Connect cars registered in 2022 do best at 79.1% and 2006 cars do worst at 47.9%. Most of that ordering is simply age — newer cars pass more — so read the year table for steps larger than a couple of points between neighbouring years; those mark a change in the cars rather than the calendar. The largest such step is at 2014, up 6.9 points on 2013.
- Is the Ford Transit Connect reliable?
- Adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, the Ford Transit Connect passes 68.4% of MOTs against a national 72.3%. An MOT measures roadworthiness on the day rather than breakdowns or running costs, so this is a reliability measure in the narrow sense: how often the car meets the legal standard, and what stops it.
- What should I check when buying a used Ford Transit Connect?
- Start with what fails most: tyres, bulbs and lamps, wiper blades and washers. Then read the car's own MOT history for advisories carried year to year without repair — the model tells you what to expect, the history tells you whether this owner dealt with it.
Analysis built from DVSA data of