2021 Ford Transit 350 Ecoblue — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2021 Ford Transit 350 Ecoblue passed 86.1% of its 560 recorded MOT tests. Against all cars of a similar age (8.4% fail rate), the 2021 Transit 350 Ecoblue comes out 5.5pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.7% of tests against 4.5% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, malfunction indicator lamp and washers — brake pads alone was recorded 23 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2021 Transit 350 Ecoblue fails 8.4% of the time in the 0-30k band and 9.4% at 90-120k, a spread of only 1.0 points.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 16.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 5.6% of tests failed in 2023 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 | 7.7% | 43 |
| 2 | Visibility | 4.5% | 25 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.3% | 24 |
| 4 | Tyres | 4.1% | 23 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.9% | 22 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.0% | 17 |
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 | 23 |
| 2 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 21 |
| 3 | Washers | 17 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 13 |
| 5 | Individual direction indicators | 12 |
| 6 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 11 |
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 | 16.8% | 94 |
| 2 | Tyres | 14.3% | 80 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 7.9% | 44 |
| 4 | Visibility | 5.4% | 30 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.6% | 20 |
| 6 | Other defects | 3.4% | 19 |
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 | 167 | 8.4% |
| 30-60k | 252 | 17.9% |
| 60-90k | 98 | 16.3% |
| 90-120k | 32 | 9.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 36 | 5.6% |
| 2024 | 254 | 15.3% |
| 2025 | 249 | 14.5% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Transit 350 Ecoblue
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 7.7% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (7.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (4.5% 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 (4.3% 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
How many 2021 Ford Transit 350 Ecoblues pass their MOT?
86.1% of the 560 2021 Ford Transit 350 Ecoblue MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Ford Transit 350 Ecoblue?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.7% of tests, followed by visibility (4.5%).
Does the 2021 Transit 350 Ecoblue get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.4% in the 0-30k band to 9.4% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 560 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.