Ford Transit Car CheckFull history check, MOT history and common problems
Free Ford Transit vehicle check by reg: MOT history, mileage and tax. Buying one? The full car history check shows outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, stolen markers, keepers and plate changes.
- 72% MOT pass rate
- 21,739 Transits checked
- 14.4% had outstanding finance
Ford Transit reg check
Full Ford Transit history check from £3.99
The MOT record is free, and it only shows the car's condition on test day. What a seller may not mention is in the full Ford Transit car check:
Of the 167 Ford Transit vehicles checked with a full CarCheckUp report, 14.4% had outstanding finance recorded and 10.2% an insurance write-off record.
- Outstanding finance: lender and agreement
- Insurance write-off: Cat S, N, C or D
- Police stolen marker
- High risk register
- Previous keepers and last change
- Plate and colour changes
- Scrapped, imported or exported
- Mileage anomaly check
£3.99 a report in the 5-report bundle, £11.99 for a single report; unused reports never expire. Shown on screen straight away and sent by email. No subscription. Start with the free check: you only pay for the full report.
Free Ford Transit MOT History and Mileage Data
What the MOT records of 18,527 Ford Transit vehicles show. The full check above covers what the MOT doesn't.
- 72%of MOT tests passedUK average 77%
- 10,200typical miles a year
- 9.3%have a mileage anomalyan MOT reading lower than an earlier one
- 199,337MOT tests analysed
- 2010–2018built (middle half)
- 98%diesel
Ford Transit common problems: most common MOT failures and advisories
The defects MOT testers record most often on the Ford Transit, as a share of all its MOT tests (the same defect on any wheel or side counts once): the Transit's known weak points. Check these on the car you're viewing, or on your own before its next MOT.
Top 20 Ford Transit MOT failures
Reasons the car failed its MOT.
- Position lamp not working4.1%
- Stop lamp not working3.6%
- Registration plate lamp not working2.6%
- Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively2.5%
- Brake pad less than 1.5 mm thick2.2%
- Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.0%
- Parking brake efficiency below requirements2.0%
- Brake pipe excessively corroded1.7%
- Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps1.7%
- Headlamp not working on dipped beam1.5%
Show all 20
- Headlamp aim too low1.5%
- Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid1.4%
- Track rod end ball joint has excessive play1.4%
- Headlamp aim too high1.1%
- Fog lamp not working1.1%
- Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt1.0%
- Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction1.0%
- Service brake efficiency below requirements0.8%
- Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords0.7%
- Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint excessively worn0.7%
Top 20 Ford Transit MOT advisories
Wear the tester noted: not a failure yet, but money to budget for.
- Brake pad wearing thin7.9%
- Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened7.8%
- Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge7.8%
- Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material6.2%
- Oil leak, but not excessive6.0%
- Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources4.1%
- Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view4.0%
- Tyre worn close to the legal limit3.7%
- Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement2.5%
- Brake pipe slightly corroded2.3%
Show all 20
- Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread2.2%
- Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing1.9%
- Wheel bearing has slight play1.9%
- Track rod end ball joint has slight play1.6%
- Play in steering rack inner joint1.4%
- Nail in tyre1.4%
- Brake disc worn, but not excessively1.3%
- Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A'1.3%
- Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated1.2%
- Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement1.2%
- Lights and indicators: 58% of failed tests
- Brakes: 32% of failed tests
- Suspension: 29% of failed tests
- Number plate: 20% of failed tests
- Windscreen and wipers: 19% of failed tests
- Brakes advisory: 32% of tests
- Tyres advisory: 22% of tests
- Corrosion advisory: 20% of tests
Based on the DVSA MOT histories of all 18,527 Ford Transit vehicles with an MOT checked on CarCheckUp since April 2023 (199,337 tests, retests included). Updated 2 October 2026. Every MOT test and advisory for one car is in the free MOT history check, and our free mileage check flags a lower reading. Market-wide figures: UK Used Car Risk Report. How we calculate these figures. MOT and DVLA data: contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ford Transit versions
Every Ford Transit version checked on CarCheckUp counts on this page, grouped by the word after "Transit" in the DVLA record. Pass rates where at least 300 vehicles were checked.
| Version | Vehicles | MOT pass rate | Top failure area |
|---|---|---|---|
Transit (no version recorded)
|
12,044 | 71% | Lights and indicators |
Transit Custom
|
2,615 | 82% | Lights and indicators |
Transit Connect
|
2,496 | 72% | Lights and indicators |
Transit 350
|
829 | 79% | Lights and indicators |
Transit Courier
|
378 | 76% | Lights and indicators |
Transit 460
|
66 | – | – |
Transit 290
|
41 | – | – |
Transit 310
|
26 | – | – |
Key history checks before buying a used Ford Transit
All of these are in every full report, with 150+ more data points.
Outstanding finance
A Ford on hire purchase, PCP or a logbook loan may still belong to the lender. Buying it can lead to a dispute over who owns it. Outstanding finance check
Insurance write-off (Cat S, N, C, D)
Shows if an insurer declared the car a total loss. Cat S and N cars can return to the road, but the record lowers the value and can affect insurance. Write-off check
Police stolen marker
Checks the Police National Computer. A stolen car can be taken back, leaving you without the car or your money. Stolen car check
High risk register
Shows if a finance company, insurer or the police has registered an interest in the Transit. Find out why before you buy.
Mileage anomaly check & MOT history
Free: every MOT mileage reading compared for drops, with advisories and failures. Free mileage check
Previous keepers & plate changes
How many keepers the car has had and when, plus number plate changes that can separate a car from its history. Previous owners check
More free and full vehicle checks for a Ford Transit
Full Ford Transit car check from £3.99 a report
Finance, write-off, stolen, keepers, plate changes and 150+ data points on the Ford Transit you're looking at. The MOT history and mileage come free.
Check a Transit by reg → See a sample reportFord Transit MOT questions
How do I check a used Ford Transit for outstanding finance or a write-off?
Run a full car history check on its registration. Of the 167 Ford Transit vehicles checked with a full CarCheckUp report, 14.4% had outstanding finance recorded and 10.2% an insurance write-off record. The report also shows stolen markers, keepers, plate and colour changes.
Is a Ford Transit car check free?
The MOT history, mileage anomaly check, tax and DVLA details of any Ford Transit are free. The full car history check (finance, write-off, stolen, keepers and 150+ data points) is paid, from £3.99 a report.
What is the most common MOT failure on the Ford Transit?
Position lamp not working: found at 4.1% of the Ford Transit MOT tests we analysed. By area, lights and indicators items appear in 58% of failed tests.
What is the Ford Transit MOT pass rate?
72% of 199,337 MOT tests on 18,527 Ford Transit vehicles checked on CarCheckUp were passed (retests included). The UK average across all vehicles we checked is 77%.
What are the common problems with the Ford Transit?
Going by its MOT records, the Ford Transit's most common failures are position lamp not working (4.1% of tests); stop lamp not working (3.6% of tests); registration plate lamp not working (2.6% of tests). The full list of the top 20 MOT failures and advisories is on this page.
What is the most common MOT advisory on the Ford Transit?
Brake pad wearing thin: noted at 7.9% of tests. An advisory is not a failure, but it is wear to budget for.
How many miles a year is a Ford Transit typically driven?
About 10,200 miles a year (the median, from MOT mileage readings). 9.3% have a mileage anomaly: an MOT reading lower than an earlier one.
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