Ford Transit 350 Leader Ecoblue MOT pass rate & common failures
The Ford Transit 350 Leader Ecoblue appears in 2,740 MOT tests spanning model years 2019–2023, and 87.3% of them passed. That is 4.5 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 8.2%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 8.0% of all tests — 4.0 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, brake pads and position lamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 109 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 7.9% in the 0-30k band and 21.2% in the 150k+ band, a 13.3-point spread — more than double.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 16.2% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Transit 350 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 | 238 | 84.5% | 15.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2020 | 809 | 84.5% | 15.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 982 | 86.3% | 13.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2022 | 511 | 93.7% | 6.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2023 | 200 | 90.5% | 9.5% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.0% | 220 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.0% | 111 |
| 3 | Tyres | 3.8% | 105 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.2% | 88 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 2.0% | 55 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.4% | 39 |
| 7 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.9% | 24 |
| 8 | Suspension | 0.5% | 14 |
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 | 109 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 82 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 65 |
| 4 | Wipers | 46 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 42 |
| 6 | Washers | 38 |
| 7 | Brake discs | 32 |
| 8 | Side repeaters | 32 |
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 | 16.2% | 443 |
| 2 | Tyres | 14.6% | 401 |
| 3 | Visibility | 7.4% | 203 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 7.1% | 194 |
| 5 | Other defects | 5.3% | 146 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.7% | 75 |
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 | 872 | 7.9% |
| 30-60k | 963 | 14.0% |
| 60-90k | 619 | 16.0% |
| 90-120k | 194 | 13.4% |
| 120-150k | 59 | 20.3% |
| 150k+ | 33 | 21.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 135 | 14.1% |
| 2023 | 577 | 12.0% |
| 2024 | 979 | 13.2% |
| 2025 | 1,030 | 12.6% |
What to check before buying a Ford Transit 350 Leader Ecoblue
- Lighting & signalling (8.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (4.0% 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.
- Tyres (3.8% 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.
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 350 Leader Ecoblue?
87.3% of the 2,740 Ford Transit 350 Leader Ecoblue MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 12.7% fail rate, across model years 2019–2023.
What does the Ford Transit 350 Leader Ecoblue most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.0% of tests, then brakes (4.0%).
How much does mileage affect Transit 350 Leader Ecoblue MOT results?
Fail rates run at 7.9% for cars in the 0-30k band and 21.2% for 150k+, a 13.3-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,740 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.