2015 Ford Transit Connect 1.6L Diesel · MM65 KZJ

The defining mechanical story across five MOT tests on this 2015 Ford Transit Connect is a persistent front suspension wear pattern rather than any single dramatic failure. The most recent test on 6 August 2026 passed, but it carried five advisories, all concentrated on the front axle: both front tyres worn close to the legal limit and on edge, both front suspension arm pins or bushes worn without yet exceeding the excessive movement threshold, and slight play in the offside front suspension arm ball joint. Reverting to the 2025 test, the same front arm bushes and ball joint reappear, and even the 2023 pass flagged both front arm pins or bushes. Only the 2022 and 2024 tests came back with completely clean sheets. The picture is one of an MOT record with no outright failures, yet a clear and worsening trend of front-end wear that has now also begun to consume the front tyres unevenly, suggesting the geometry is being affected by the deteriorating bushes and ball joint. With 98,856 miles recorded against an 11-year age, the Transit Connect is averaging roughly 8,987 miles per year, which sits within typical expectations for a light commercial of this vintage. There are no extended testing gaps and no sudden mileage spikes in the records provided, implying fairly steady operational use rather than long periods of standing or intermittent commercial deployment. For a van of this mileage the consumables, braking system, clutch and dual-mass flywheel area, and turbo components on diesel variants will have done substantial work, so although the MOT history captures only the items an examiner can see and measure at test time, the mechanical reality is that wear elsewhere on the drivetrain and underbody should be assumed broadly proportional to the odometer. For a prospective buyer, the priority during inspection must be the front suspension and its effect on the tyres. With both front arm pin or bush advisories recurring across multiple tests and now joined by ball joint play on the offside, the bushes and possibly the arm itself are approaching the point where movement will exceed the advisory threshold and become a failure. On a test drive, listen for clonks or dull knocks from the front end over speed humps, uneven road surfaces, and during full-lock low-speed manoeuvres, and feel for vagueness or a slight delay in steering response on turn-in. The uneven front tyre wear recorded at the most recent test is consistent with this geometry disturbance, so any new tyres fitted should be checked for feathered or stepped inner or outer edges, which would confirm the bushes have finally loosened enough to alter tracking. Ask to see the tracking printout from any recent four-wheel alignment, and budget for replacement of the front suspension arms, bushes and ball joints, plus a geometry set, as a realistic near-term cost. Beyond the front axle, this Transit Connect should be inspected with the usual commercial-van wear points in mind. Check the rear load area floor and door hinges for distortion, the sliding door mechanism for smooth operation, and look under the vehicle for any fresh corrosion along sills, crossmembers and the subframe, as the MOT advisories do not record structural condition beneath the body. With the front discs and pads unrecorded in the test history, feel for brake pedal pulsation or vibration under firm pedal pressure to detect warped discs, and confirm the handbrake holds firmly on an incline given the working loads the van will have carried. Finally, verify the service interval history independently, as the MOT file does not record oil changes, timing belt or cam belt replacement intervals, or gearbox fluid, all of which are critical at this mileage on a diesel Transit Connect and should be evidenced by paperwork rather than assumed from the clean 2022 and 2024 test sheets.