2017 Ford Transit Connect 1.5L Diesel · CV17 FSX

A recurring pattern of front-tyre wear issues sits at the centre of this TransIT Connect's MOT record and should be the primary mechanical concern for any prospective buyer. Across the 2021 and 2023 tests, advisories consistently flagged both front tyres as worn close to the legal limit, with the 2021 entry specifically noting inner-edge wear on both fronts and additional cracking/perishing on the front pair plus the offside rear. This kind of repeated advisory over a two-year span points to an underlying geometry or suspension issue, most likely tracking misalignment, worn front suspension bushes, top mounts, or a sagging coil spring on one side that is causing uneven contact patch loading. The only outright PRF failures are comparatively minor: a single rear registration plate lamp inoperative in late 2024 and an offside headlamp aim too high recorded alongside the 2021 advisories, both of which are inexpensive rectification items rather than structural concerns. The two most recent tests, on 15 November 2025 and 28 November 2024, both passed with no advisories or defects recorded, which is positive on the surface but does not offset the documented tyre wear pattern that preceded them. The recorded mileage of 165,016 miles on a nine-year-old van equates to roughly 18,300 miles per year, which is firmly in the high-mileage commercial-use bracket and consistent with the TransIT Connect's role as a light commercial vehicle. This rate of accumulation means the braking system, clutch, dual-mass flywheel (if fitted), suspension components and engine consumables have been subjected to substantially more wear than would be expected from a privately owned passenger car of similar age. The mileage progression across the recorded entries also shows the vehicle in active service every year it has been tested, with no extended off-road periods that would raise concerns about stale fuel, seized brakes or 12V battery degradation from standing idle. The 2020 test entry does show a longer gap to the next recorded test in early 2021, but this falls within normal commercial usage patterns rather than indicating any lay-up. What the high annual mileage does mean mechanically is that any component flagged as an advisory in the MOT record should be treated as approaching the back end of its service life rather than early wear. Targeted inspection on a test drive should focus first on the front-end geometry issues suggested by the repeated inner-edge tyre wear advisories. Listen for clonking or knocking from the front suspension over speed bumps, particularly from the top mounts, anti-roll bar drop links and wishbone bushes, and feel for any vague wandering or pull to one side under braking or on uneven roads, which would suggest the tyres have been masking a worn bush or weakened spring. Check both front tyres carefully for uneven shoulder wear, particularly on the inner edges, and inspect the sidewalls for the cracking and perishing previously flagged, as age-related rubber degradation will have progressed even on tyres with adequate tread depth. The offside headlamp aim failure recorded in 2021 is worth verifying by checking beam pattern against a wall in the dark, and all lighting should be confirmed functional given the two separate registration plate lamp advisories across the record. Braking and under-bonnet checks are warranted given the high annual mileage. On a road test, the pedal should be firm without excessive travel or judder under hard braking, and the vehicle should not pull to one side, which would indicate a binding or seized caliper or a worn flexible hose. With this mileage, the front brake discs are probably on their second or third set, so feel for a pulsing pedal through the steering wheel that would suggest warped discs. Under the bonnet, look for any signs of oil misting or weeping from the cam cover or oil filter housing, common on higher-mileage diesel units, and check the coolant and brake fluid for service-date evidence, as both will be due for renewal on a mileage basis rather than simply age. The exhaust should be inspected from underneath for corrosion at the mounting rubbers and joints, and the rear suspension, particularly the leaf springs if fitted to this variant, should be checked for sagging or cracked leaves, as commercial loading over 165,000 miles typically leaves these components fatigued well before the rest of the vehicle.