2012 Ford Transit Connect — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2012 Ford Transit Connect passed 73.3% of its 39,260 recorded MOT tests. Vans of a similar age fail 25.5% of the time, so this is 1.2pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (15.7%) and brakes (14.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are rbt (sp), stop lamp and rigid brake pipes — rbt (sp) alone was recorded 3,309 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 29.2% versus 15.6%.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 38.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 24.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 28.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 15.7% | 6,163 |
| 2 | Brakes | 14.1% | 5,542 |
| 3 | Suspension | 9.5% | 3,737 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.1% | 3,183 |
| 5 | Tyres | 6.3% | 2,485 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.1% | 2,017 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rbt (sp) | 3,309 |
| 2 | Stop lamp | 2,513 |
| 3 | Rigid brake pipes | 2,299 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 1,686 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 1,620 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 1,439 |
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 | 38.5% | 15,101 |
| 2 | Tyres | 28.8% | 11,321 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 21.8% | 8,554 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 18.8% | 7,379 |
| 5 | Suspension | 17.1% | 6,712 |
| 6 | Other defects | 12.8% | 5,014 |
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 | 450 | 15.6% |
| 30-60k | 2,713 | 19.0% |
| 60-90k | 8,215 | 24.6% |
| 90-120k | 12,235 | 27.6% |
| 120-150k | 9,050 | 28.5% |
| 150k+ | 6,564 | 29.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 8,550 | 24.9% |
| 2022 | 8,357 | 25.5% |
| 2023 | 8,069 | 27.1% |
| 2024 | 7,452 | 27.9% |
| 2025 | 6,832 | 28.9% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Transit Connect
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 15.7% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (15.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (14.1% 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.
- Suspension (9.5% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
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 2012 Ford Transit Connects pass their MOT?
73.3% of the 39,260 2012 Ford Transit Connect MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 26.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Ford Transit Connect?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 15.7% of tests, followed by brakes (14.1%).
Does the 2012 Transit Connect get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 15.6% in the 0-30k band to 29.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 39,260 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.