2018 Ford Transit Courier — MOT failures & pass rate
25,267 MOT tests on the 2018 Ford Transit Courier are in this dataset, and 85.6% of them passed. Against vans of a similar age (16.2% fail rate), the 2018 Transit Courier comes out 1.8pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 11.0% of all tests — 5.6 points clear of tyres, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are stop lamp, headlamp aim and tread depth — stop lamp alone was recorded 1,290 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 9.2% in the 0-30k band and 22.0% in the 150k+ band, a 12.7-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 1.6pp more often than petrol ones (14.6% vs 13.0%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 24.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 12.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 17.7% 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% | 2,789 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.5% | 1,384 |
| 3 | Visibility | 5.1% | 1,300 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.9% | 740 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 2.7% | 690 |
| 6 | Suspension | 2.0% | 513 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stop lamp | 1,290 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 1,074 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 974 |
| 4 | Wipers | 851 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 789 |
| 6 | Washers | 524 |
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 | 24.0% | 6,073 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.7% | 3,201 |
| 3 | Visibility | 9.0% | 2,283 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.0% | 1,511 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 5.4% | 1,368 |
| 6 | Suspension | 2.9% | 731 |
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 | 3,905 | 9.2% |
| 30-60k | 8,994 | 13.0% |
| 60-90k | 7,002 | 15.7% |
| 90-120k | 3,483 | 17.8% |
| 120-150k | 1,254 | 19.6% |
| 150k+ | 592 | 22.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 22,262 | 14.6% |
| Petrol | 3,005 | 13.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 5,018 | 12.0% |
| 2022 | 5,044 | 12.8% |
| 2023 | 5,051 | 13.4% |
| 2024 | 5,082 | 16.1% |
| 2025 | 5,072 | 17.7% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Transit Courier
On a 2018 Transit Courier, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 11.0% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- 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.
- Tyres (5.5% 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.
- Visibility (5.1% 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.
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 2018 Ford Transit Couriers pass their MOT?
85.6% of the 25,267 2018 Ford Transit Courier MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Ford Transit Courier?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.0% of tests, followed by tyres (5.5%).
Does the 2018 Transit Courier get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.2% in the 0-30k band to 22.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 25,267 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.