2016 Ford Transit Connect — MOT failures & pass rate
83,561 MOT tests on the 2016 Ford Transit Connect are in this dataset, and 83.5% of them passed. That is 2.9 percentage points better than vans of a similar age, which fail at 19.5%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (7.9%) and tyres (6.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, brake pads and wipers — tread depth alone was recorded 3,711 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 10.9% in the 0-30k band and 19.8% in the 150k+ band, a 8.9-point spread.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 27.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 14.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 18.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 7.9% | 6,589 |
| 2 | Tyres | 6.5% | 5,438 |
| 3 | Brakes | 6.3% | 5,224 |
| 4 | Visibility | 5.2% | 4,371 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 2.5% | 2,093 |
| 6 | Suspension | 2.2% | 1,807 |
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 | 3,711 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 3,610 |
| 3 | Wipers | 2,776 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 2,512 |
| 5 | Washers | 2,017 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 1,668 |
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 | 27.3% | 22,845 |
| 2 | Brakes | 20.1% | 16,793 |
| 3 | Visibility | 9.8% | 8,196 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 8.1% | 6,750 |
| 5 | Other defects | 7.0% | 5,873 |
| 6 | Suspension | 4.7% | 3,900 |
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 | 2,941 | 10.9% |
| 30-60k | 15,358 | 13.8% |
| 60-90k | 24,254 | 15.9% |
| 90-120k | 21,649 | 17.7% |
| 120-150k | 11,886 | 18.5% |
| 150k+ | 7,434 | 19.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 83,258 | 16.6% |
| Petrol | 299 | 10.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 16,925 | 14.7% |
| 2022 | 16,887 | 15.9% |
| 2023 | 16,834 | 16.6% |
| 2024 | 16,554 | 17.3% |
| 2025 | 16,361 | 18.5% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Transit Connect
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 7.9% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (7.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (6.5% 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.
- Brakes (6.3% 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 2016 Ford Transit Connects pass their MOT?
83.5% of the 83,561 2016 Ford Transit Connect MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Ford Transit Connect?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.9% of tests, followed by tyres (6.5%).
Does the 2016 Transit Connect get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.9% in the 0-30k band to 19.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 83,561 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.