2014 Ford Transit Connect — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2014 Ford Transit Connect passed 80.4% of its 65,321 recorded MOT tests. That is 3.4 percentage points better than vans of a similar age, which fail at 23.0%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.0% of tests against 7.3% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, brake pads and registration plate lamp(s) — tread depth alone was recorded 3,036 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 22.4% versus 11.6%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 28.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 17.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 11.0% | 7,202 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.3% | 4,764 |
| 3 | Tyres | 6.7% | 4,341 |
| 4 | Visibility | 5.2% | 3,423 |
| 5 | Suspension | 4.5% | 2,954 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.0% | 1,961 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 3,036 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 2,969 |
| 3 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 2,213 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 1,891 |
| 5 | Washers | 1,800 |
| 6 | Wipers | 1,788 |
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 | 28.7% | 18,758 |
| 2 | Brakes | 22.2% | 14,507 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 12.3% | 8,043 |
| 4 | Visibility | 10.4% | 6,764 |
| 5 | Other defects | 9.0% | 5,850 |
| 6 | Suspension | 8.8% | 5,738 |
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 | 722 | 11.6% |
| 30-60k | 6,058 | 15.3% |
| 60-90k | 15,017 | 18.1% |
| 90-120k | 18,104 | 20.0% |
| 120-150k | 13,643 | 20.7% |
| 150k+ | 11,758 | 22.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 65,034 | 19.6% |
| Petrol | 285 | 14.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 13,236 | 17.2% |
| 2022 | 13,183 | 18.2% |
| 2023 | 13,196 | 20.0% |
| 2024 | 12,945 | 20.9% |
| 2025 | 12,761 | 21.9% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Transit Connect
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 11.0% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (11.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.3% 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.
- Tyres (6.7% 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 2014 Ford Transit Connects pass their MOT?
80.4% of the 65,321 2014 Ford Transit Connect MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Ford Transit Connect?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.0% of tests, followed by brakes (7.3%).
Does the 2014 Transit Connect get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.6% in the 0-30k band to 22.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 65,321 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.