2020 Ford Transit Custom — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 113,966 MOT tests, the 2020 Ford Transit Custom recorded an 86.6% pass rate. Against vans of a similar age (14.5% fail rate), the 2020 Transit Custom comes out 1.1pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (6.8%) and visibility (6.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, brake pads and headlamp aim — wipers alone was recorded 5,613 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 17.0% once past 150k.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 17.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 2.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 13.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.8% | 7,735 |
| 2 | Visibility | 6.2% | 7,082 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.4% | 5,010 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.9% | 4,491 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.6% | 1,777 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.5% | 1,733 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 5,613 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 4,285 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 3,829 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 2,563 |
| 5 | Washers | 1,992 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 1,759 |
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 | 17.5% | 19,995 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.6% | 18,908 |
| 3 | Visibility | 8.8% | 10,082 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.4% | 6,127 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 3.7% | 4,263 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.3% | 3,709 |
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 | 18,676 | 8.8% |
| 30-60k | 47,714 | 13.4% |
| 60-90k | 31,271 | 15.1% |
| 90-120k | 11,847 | 15.4% |
| 120-150k | 3,268 | 16.7% |
| 150k+ | 1,185 | 17.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 113,774 | 13.5% |
| Hybrid | 190 | 6.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 48 | 2.1% |
| 2022 | 786 | 9.7% |
| 2023 | 36,968 | 13.3% |
| 2024 | 38,435 | 13.6% |
| 2025 | 37,729 | 13.5% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Transit Custom
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 6.8% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (6.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (6.2% 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.
- Tyres (4.4% 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 2020 Ford Transit Customs pass their MOT?
86.6% of the 113,966 2020 Ford Transit Custom MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Ford Transit Custom?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.8% of tests, followed by visibility (6.2%).
Does the 2020 Transit Custom get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.8% in the 0-30k band to 17.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 113,966 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.