2020 Ford Transit — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 659 MOT tests, the 2020 Ford Transit recorded a 91.5% pass rate. Against vans of a similar age (13.6% fail rate), the 2020 Transit comes out 5.1pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.1% of tests against 2.7% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, brake pads and outline marker lamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 26 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2020 Transit fails 5.9% of the time in the 0-30k band and 8.7% at 60-90k, a spread of only 2.8 points.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 11.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 13.5% in 2021 to 7.6% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.1% | 40 |
| 2 | Brakes | 2.7% | 18 |
| 3 | Tyres | 1.4% | 9 |
| 4 | Suspension | 1.1% | 7 |
| 5 | Visibility | 0.9% | 6 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.6% | 4 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 26 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 10 |
| 3 | Outline marker lamp | 9 |
| 4 | Wipers | 7 |
| 5 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 4 |
| 6 | Rear fog lamp | 4 |
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 | 11.1% | 73 |
| 2 | Tyres | 10.3% | 68 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 4.3% | 28 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.6% | 24 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 2.7% | 18 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.6% | 17 |
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 | 388 | 5.9% |
| 30-60k | 137 | 13.9% |
| 60-90k | 69 | 8.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 52 | 13.5% |
| 2022 | 32 | 6.3% |
| 2023 | 192 | 10.4% |
| 2024 | 186 | 6.5% |
| 2025 | 197 | 7.6% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Transit
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 6.1% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (6.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (2.7% 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.
- Tyres (1.4% 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 Transits pass their MOT?
91.5% of the 659 2020 Ford Transit MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 8.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Ford Transit?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.1% of tests, followed by brakes (2.7%).
Does the 2020 Transit get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.9% in the 0-30k band to 8.7% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 659 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.