2021 Ford Tourneo Custom 320 T-Nium — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 256 MOT tests, the 2021 Ford Tourneo Custom 320 T-Nium recorded an 87.9% pass rate. All cars of a similar age fail 7.6% of the time, so this is 4.5pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (5.1%) and tyres (3.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, joints and malfunction indicator lamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 11 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 22.5% versus 3.8%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 10.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 2.7% of tests failed in 2022 against 14.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 5.1% | 13 |
| 2 | Tyres | 3.1% | 8 |
| 3 | Suspension | 3.1% | 8 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.7% | 7 |
| 5 | Brakes | 2.3% | 6 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.9% | 5 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 11 |
| 2 | Joints | 5 |
| 3 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 4 |
| 4 | Washers | 3 |
| 5 | Front fog lamps | 3 |
| 6 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 2 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 10.9% | 28 |
| 2 | Tyres | 8.2% | 21 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 5.1% | 13 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.9% | 10 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.3% | 6 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.6% | 4 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 53 | 3.8% |
| 30-60k | 58 | 5.2% |
| 60-90k | 40 | 12.5% |
| 90-120k | 37 | 10.8% |
| 150k+ | 40 | 22.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 37 | 2.7% |
| 2023 | 39 | 10.3% |
| 2024 | 75 | 18.7% |
| 2025 | 83 | 14.5% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Tourneo Custom 320 T-Nium
On a 2021 Tourneo Custom 320 T-Nium, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.1% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (5.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (3.1% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Suspension (3.1% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2021 Ford Tourneo Custom 320 T-Niums pass their MOT?
87.9% of the 256 2021 Ford Tourneo Custom 320 T-Nium MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Ford Tourneo Custom 320 T-Nium?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 5.1% of tests, followed by tyres (3.1%).
Does the 2021 Tourneo Custom 320 T-Nium get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 3.8% in the 0-30k band to 22.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 256 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.