2021 Ford Tourneo Custom 320 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2021 Ford Tourneo Custom 320 passed 87.8% of its 500 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail 8.5% of the time, so this is 3.7pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (4.8%) and tyres (4.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and linkage pins and bushes — wipers alone was recorded 20 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2021 Tourneo Custom 320 fails 6.2% of the time in the 0-30k band and 9.3% at 90-120k, a spread of only 3.1 points.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 12.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 4.8% | 24 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.4% | 22 |
| 3 | Visibility | 4.4% | 22 |
| 4 | Suspension | 2.8% | 14 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.6% | 8 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.2% | 6 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 20 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 15 |
| 3 | Linkage pins and bushes | 14 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 9 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 8 |
| 6 | Joints | 8 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 12.2% | 61 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.2% | 61 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.2% | 26 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.2% | 21 |
| 5 | Other defects | 3.6% | 18 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 2.2% | 11 |
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 | 146 | 6.2% |
| 30-60k | 197 | 16.8% |
| 60-90k | 80 | 12.5% |
| 90-120k | 43 | 9.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 243 | 15.2% |
| 2025 | 222 | 10.8% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Tourneo Custom 320
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 4.8% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (4.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (4.4% 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.
- Visibility (4.4% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
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 320s pass their MOT?
87.8% of the 500 2021 Ford Tourneo Custom 320 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Ford Tourneo Custom 320?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 4.8% of tests, followed by tyres (4.4%).
Does the 2021 Tourneo Custom 320 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.2% in the 0-30k band to 9.3% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 500 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.