Ford Transit 290 Ecoblue MOT pass rate & common failures
The Ford Transit 290 Ecoblue appears in 4,244 MOT tests spanning model years 2019–2022, and 86.3% of them passed. Against all cars of a similar age (9.2% fail rate), the Transit 290 Ecoblue comes out 4.5pp worse. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.5% of tests against 4.5% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, headlamp aim and side repeaters — brake pads alone was recorded 178 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 21.3% once past 150k — 2.7× the risk.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 19.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every Transit 290 Ecoblue model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 590 | 84.6% | 15.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2020 | 1,986 | 85.4% | 14.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 1,358 | 88.1% | 11.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2022 | 310 | 87.1% | 12.9% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.5% | 359 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.5% | 191 |
| 3 | Visibility | 4.1% | 175 |
| 4 | Tyres | 3.6% | 152 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.7% | 114 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.1% | 89 |
| 7 | Suspension | 0.7% | 28 |
| 8 | Steering | 0.3% | 11 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 178 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 161 |
| 3 | Side repeaters | 146 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 81 |
| 5 | Wipers | 79 |
| 6 | Joints | 74 |
| 7 | Washers | 71 |
| 8 | Stop lamp | 52 |
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 | 19.2% | 816 |
| 2 | Brakes | 15.5% | 657 |
| 3 | Visibility | 10.8% | 460 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 10.1% | 428 |
| 5 | Other defects | 6.1% | 258 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.1% | 91 |
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 | 755 | 7.8% |
| 30-60k | 1,814 | 13.6% |
| 60-90k | 1,049 | 15.8% |
| 90-120k | 403 | 16.6% |
| 120-150k | 148 | 18.2% |
| 150k+ | 75 | 21.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 141 | 13.5% |
| 2023 | 785 | 13.6% |
| 2024 | 1,492 | 12.9% |
| 2025 | 1,825 | 14.5% |
What to check before buying a Ford Transit 290 Ecoblue
- Lighting & signalling (8.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (4.5% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Visibility (4.1% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Ford Transit 290 Ecoblue?
86.3% of the 4,244 Ford Transit 290 Ecoblue MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 13.7% fail rate, across model years 2019–2022.
What does the Ford Transit 290 Ecoblue most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.5% of tests, then brakes (4.5%).
How much does mileage affect Transit 290 Ecoblue MOT results?
Fail rates run at 7.8% for cars in the 0-30k band and 21.3% for 150k+, a 13.5-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,244 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.