Ford Transit: suspension MOT failures
Suspension was recorded as a failure area in 10.5% of Ford Transit MOT tests — 207,051 tests out of 1,975,676. It shows up most on 2008 and 2009 cars.
Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair cost: £150–£450 per corner (rough UK ballpark, not a quote).
Suspension failures by year
| Model year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 269 | 13.8% |
| 1987 | 722 | 12.2% |
| 1988 | 1,589 | 13.3% |
| 1989 | 2,402 | 13.1% |
| 1990 | 2,211 | 15.1% |
| 1991 | 1,792 | 15.2% |
| 1992 | 1,619 | 15.0% |
| 1993 | 1,309 | 15.8% |
| 1994 | 2,746 | 13.2% |
| 1995 | 4,220 | 13.9% |
| 1996 | 4,941 | 13.6% |
| 1997 | 5,185 | 13.4% |
| 1998 | 5,918 | 11.7% |
| 1999 | 6,318 | 13.2% |
| 2000 | 7,029 | 13.7% |
| 2001 | 10,009 | 16.6% |
| 2002 | 15,786 | 17.4% |
| 2003 | 18,907 | 17.8% |
| 2004 | 18,052 | 17.6% |
| 2005 | 25,240 | 17.4% |
| 2006 | 46,694 | 18.5% |
| 2007 | 77,195 | 19.9% |
| 2008 | 95,178 | 20.3% |
| 2009 | 81,620 | 20.2% |
| 2010 | 114,420 | 19.8% |
| 2011 | 133,851 | 18.9% |
| 2012 | 108,912 | 14.8% |
| 2013 | 136,147 | 10.6% |
| 2014 | 183,664 | 6.9% |
| 2015 | 222,676 | 5.4% |
| 2016 | 252,102 | 4.1% |
| 2017 | 261,472 | 3.4% |
| 2018 | 111,557 | 2.1% |
| 2019 | 11,471 | 1.1% |
| 2020 | 659 | 1.1% |
| 2021 | 395 | 0.8% |
| 2022 | 784 | 0.6% |
Methodology & source. 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.