2017 Ford Transit 2.0L Diesel · AS11 LOG

Chronic front-end tyre wear on both the nearside and offside edges is the defining mechanical story of this 2017 Ford Transit, with the same advisory appearing across multiple consecutive MOT tests and ultimately culminating in a dangerous failure in late 2024 when an offside rear tyre suffered a bulge caused by structural separation. The most recent test on 16 December 2025 passed, but four advisories were recorded, three of which related to tyres worn close to the legal limit or on their edges and a fourth flagging wear in an offside front suspension arm pin or bush. Across the available DVSA history there are six tests, two failures (November 2023 for a side repeater colour issue and November 2024 for engine management, registration plates and the dangerous tyre), and a recurring pattern of braking component wear, with front brake disc advisories appearing in 2023 and 2024 and a further advisory in 2025 noting pitted or scored front inner discs. While the vehicle has consistently met the pass threshold at its most recent attempts, the density and recurrence of advisories around tyres, brake discs and now suspension linkages indicate that consumable wear on this chassis is advancing steadily. The recorded mileage of 121,736 miles over nine years equates to an average annual accumulation of approximately 13,526 miles, which is notably high for a commercial vehicle of this age. This rate of use is consistent with the working life typically expected of a Transit, meaning components such as clutches, gearbox mountings, turbochargers, dual-mass flywheels, brake calipers, wheel bearings and suspension bushes will have accumulated considerably more wear than they would on a lower-mileage example of the same year. The fact that every annual test has been carried out within a tight window suggests the vehicle has been in continuous service with no extended gaps off the road, so there is no evidence of deterioration through long-standing disuse to factor in. For a buyer, the implication is straightforward: this van has earned its working mileage honestly and the components flagged in the MOT record are likely to require attention sooner than they would on a lower-mileage equivalent. A prospective buyer should focus their inspection on the front suspension geometry, given the recurring nearside and offside tyre edge wear combined with the 2025 advisory noting movement in an offside front suspension arm pin or bush. On a test drive, listen for clonking or knocking from the front end over speed humps and uneven surfaces, particularly under load or while braking, and feel for vagueness in the steering or any pulling to one side, all of which would suggest worn bushes, drop links or track rod ends that have progressed beyond the advisory threshold. Examine all four tyres closely for uneven shoulder wear or feathering across the tread, as the pattern on this vehicle suggests an alignment or suspension issue that may still be present even if new tyres have recently been fitted. Also check that the offside rear tyre has been replaced since the November 2024 dangerous failure and inspect the sidewalls of all tyres carefully for any bulges or lifting of the tread, as a prior structural failure on one tyre can indicate aged or compromised tyres throughout. The braking system warrants equally close attention. Front brake disc advisories have appeared in three consecutive tests, and on a test drive the buyer should feel for any vibration, judder or pulsing through the steering wheel or brake pedal under firm application, which would indicate the discs have worn beyond their service limit or have developed hot spots from repeated heavy use. Listen for any grinding or scraping from the caliper region on cold starts, which can point to a sticking or seized caliper slide mechanism, a common issue on Transits of this mileage. The November 2024 failure for an inoperative engine management indicator light should also be followed up; ask for evidence that the underlying fault has been diagnosed and rectified, and verify that the warning lamp illuminates and extinguishes correctly on ignition. Finally, inspect the nearside front door area referenced in the 2020 advisory for accident damage, confirm the door shuts and latches positively without any frame distortion, and check the nearside front windscreen and obligatory mirror noted as damaged in 2024 to ensure neither has deteriorated further since that test.