Ford Transit 290 Leader Ecoblue MOT pass rate & common failures
The Ford Transit 290 Leader Ecoblue appears in 2,138 MOT tests spanning model years 2019–2023, and 83.5% of them passed. Against all cars of a similar age (9.2% fail rate), the Transit 290 Leader Ecoblue comes out 7.2pp worse. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.6% of tests against 5.2% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, side repeaters and brake pads — headlamp aim alone was recorded 105 times.
A 120-150k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 23.3% versus 10.3%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 18.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every Transit 290 Leader 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 | 446 | 82.5% | 17.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2020 | 924 | 82.8% | 17.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 525 | 84.6% | 15.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2022 | 242 | 86.0% | 14.1% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 11.6% | 247 |
| 2 | Visibility | 5.2% | 111 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.6% | 98 |
| 4 | Tyres | 4.6% | 98 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.1% | 87 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.5% | 54 |
| 7 | Suspension | 1.9% | 40 |
| 8 | Steering | 0.5% | 11 |
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 | 105 |
| 2 | Side repeaters | 93 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 80 |
| 4 | Wipers | 64 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 54 |
| 6 | Joints | 48 |
| 7 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 47 |
| 8 | Tread depth | 41 |
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 | 18.3% | 392 |
| 2 | Brakes | 15.8% | 338 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 12.0% | 257 |
| 4 | Visibility | 9.8% | 209 |
| 5 | Other defects | 7.5% | 160 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.4% | 52 |
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 | 368 | 10.3% |
| 30-60k | 829 | 16.2% |
| 60-90k | 642 | 18.5% |
| 90-120k | 216 | 20.4% |
| 120-150k | 60 | 23.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 102 | 15.7% |
| 2023 | 416 | 17.3% |
| 2024 | 698 | 15.9% |
| 2025 | 922 | 16.6% |
What to check before buying a Ford Transit 290 Leader Ecoblue
- Lighting & signalling (11.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (5.2% 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.
- Brakes (4.6% 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.
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 Leader Ecoblue?
83.5% of the 2,138 Ford Transit 290 Leader Ecoblue MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 16.5% fail rate, across model years 2019–2023.
What does the Ford Transit 290 Leader Ecoblue most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.6% of tests, then visibility (5.2%).
How much does mileage affect Transit 290 Leader Ecoblue MOT results?
Fail rates run at 10.3% for cars in the 0-30k band and 23.3% for 120-150k, a 13.0-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,138 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.