2020 Ford Transit 290 Ecoblue — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2020 Ford Transit 290 Ecoblue passed 85.4% of its 1,986 recorded MOT tests. That is 5.2 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 9.4%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.4% of tests against 4.5% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, headlamp aim and malfunction indicator lamp — brake pads alone was recorded 81 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.9% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 24.4% once past 150k — 2.7× the risk.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 19.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 13.7% of tests failed in 2023 against 16.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.4% | 166 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.5% | 90 |
| 3 | Visibility | 4.3% | 85 |
| 4 | Tyres | 3.5% | 69 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.9% | 58 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.9% | 58 |
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 | 81 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 76 |
| 3 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 53 |
| 4 | Side repeaters | 52 |
| 5 | Joints | 39 |
| 6 | Washers | 39 |
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 | 19.4% | 386 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.3% | 324 |
| 3 | Visibility | 9.8% | 194 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 9.6% | 190 |
| 5 | Other defects | 6.0% | 120 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.2% | 44 |
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 | 327 | 8.9% |
| 30-60k | 832 | 14.5% |
| 60-90k | 518 | 17.6% |
| 90-120k | 198 | 13.6% |
| 120-150k | 70 | 17.1% |
| 150k+ | 41 | 24.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 633 | 13.7% |
| 2024 | 665 | 13.7% |
| 2025 | 679 | 16.4% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Transit 290 Ecoblue
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 8.4% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (8.4% 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 (4.3% 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 2020 Ford Transit 290 Ecoblues pass their MOT?
85.4% of the 1,986 2020 Ford Transit 290 Ecoblue MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Ford Transit 290 Ecoblue?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.4% of tests, followed by brakes (4.5%).
Does the 2020 Transit 290 Ecoblue get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.9% in the 0-30k band to 24.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,986 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.