2021 Ford Transit Connect — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2021 Ford Transit Connect passed 86.5% of its 26,099 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as vans of a similar age (13.9% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (6.3%) and visibility (4.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, wipers and tread depth — brake pads alone was recorded 1,324 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2021 Transit Connect fails 10.3% of the time in the 0-30k band and 14.0% at 150k+, a spread of only 3.7 points.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 25.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 10.7% of tests failed in 2023 against 14.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 6.3% | 1,640 |
| 2 | Visibility | 4.9% | 1,288 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.2% | 1,091 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 3.6% | 937 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.7% | 455 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.7% | 192 |
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 | 1,324 |
| 2 | Wipers | 1,016 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 853 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 766 |
| 5 | Washers | 459 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 412 |
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 | 25.0% | 6,523 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.1% | 4,452 |
| 3 | Visibility | 8.1% | 2,125 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.0% | 1,819 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 3.3% | 857 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.1% | 821 |
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 | 5,364 | 10.3% |
| 30-60k | 11,674 | 14.1% |
| 60-90k | 6,560 | 14.1% |
| 90-120k | 1,975 | 15.2% |
| 120-150k | 412 | 20.2% |
| 150k+ | 114 | 14.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 25,857 | 13.5% |
| Petrol | 233 | 14.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 393 | 10.7% |
| 2024 | 12,765 | 13.2% |
| 2025 | 12,930 | 14.0% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Transit Connect
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 6.3% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (6.3% 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.
- Visibility (4.9% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Brakes (4.2% 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 2021 Ford Transit Connects pass their MOT?
86.5% of the 26,099 2021 Ford Transit Connect MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Ford Transit Connect?
Tyres, recorded in 6.3% of tests, followed by visibility (4.9%).
Does the 2021 Transit Connect get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.3% in the 0-30k band to 14.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 26,099 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.