2021 Ford Transit 350 Leader Ecoblue — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2021 Ford Transit 350 Leader Ecoblue passed 86.3% of its 982 recorded MOT tests. That is 5.4 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 8.3%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.0% of tests against 4.6% 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 35 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2021 Transit 350 Leader Ecoblue fails 13.4% of the time in the 0-30k band and 14.0% at 90-120k, a spread of only 0.6 points.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 16.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 8.7% of tests failed in 2022 against 14.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.0% | 79 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.6% | 45 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.2% | 41 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.9% | 28 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 2.6% | 26 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.4% | 14 |
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 | 35 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 32 |
| 3 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 18 |
| 4 | Brake discs | 17 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 17 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 16 |
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 | 16.6% | 163 |
| 2 | Tyres | 16.2% | 159 |
| 3 | Visibility | 8.3% | 82 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 8.2% | 80 |
| 5 | Other defects | 5.5% | 54 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.5% | 25 |
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 | 239 | 13.4% |
| 30-60k | 383 | 13.1% |
| 60-90k | 258 | 15.1% |
| 90-120k | 86 | 14.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 46 | 8.7% |
| 2023 | 77 | 6.5% |
| 2024 | 449 | 14.9% |
| 2025 | 409 | 14.4% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Transit 350 Leader Ecoblue
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 8.0% of tests. Start there.
- 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 (4.6% 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.
- Tyres (4.2% 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
How many 2021 Ford Transit 350 Leader Ecoblues pass their MOT?
86.3% of the 982 2021 Ford Transit 350 Leader Ecoblue MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Ford Transit 350 Leader Ecoblue?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.0% of tests, followed by brakes (4.6%).
Does the 2021 Transit 350 Leader Ecoblue get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 13.4% in the 0-30k band to 14.0% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 982 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.