2016 Ford Transit Custom — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2016 Ford Transit Custom passed 81.7% of its 1,732 recorded MOT tests. Against vans of a similar age (19.8% fail rate), the 2016 Transit Custom comes out 1.5pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, body, structure & corrosion and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (8.1%) and body, structure & corrosion (5.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are joints, brake pads and headlamp aim — joints alone was recorded 103 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.9% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 22.1% once past 150k — 2.8× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 29.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 14.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.1% | 140 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.9% | 103 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.9% | 102 |
| 4 | Visibility | 5.2% | 90 |
| 5 | Tyres | 4.2% | 72 |
| 6 | Suspension | 3.5% | 60 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joints | 103 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 61 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 52 |
| 4 | Wipers | 47 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 45 |
| 6 | Washers | 42 |
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 | 29.0% | 502 |
| 2 | Tyres | 20.3% | 352 |
| 3 | Suspension | 18.8% | 326 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 11.2% | 194 |
| 5 | Visibility | 9.9% | 172 |
| 6 | Other defects | 7.2% | 125 |
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 | 89 | 7.9% |
| 30-60k | 355 | 18.0% |
| 60-90k | 519 | 18.1% |
| 90-120k | 395 | 21.3% |
| 120-150k | 223 | 15.7% |
| 150k+ | 149 | 22.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 294 | 14.6% |
| 2022 | 319 | 18.2% |
| 2023 | 334 | 15.6% |
| 2024 | 398 | 20.6% |
| 2025 | 387 | 21.2% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Transit Custom
On a 2016 Transit Custom, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 8.1% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (8.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (5.9% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
- Brakes (5.9% 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 Customs pass their MOT?
81.7% of the 1,732 2016 Ford Transit Custom MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 18.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Ford Transit Custom?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.1% of tests, followed by body, structure & corrosion (5.9%).
Does the 2016 Transit Custom get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.9% in the 0-30k band to 22.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,732 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.