2010 Ford Transit 2.2L Diesel · PX59 EBA

The 2010 Ford Transit currently holds a valid MOT pass dated 14 March 2026 at 196,244 miles, but the maintenance trend is clearly worsening. That same day the vehicle first failed with a nearside headlamp not working on dipped beam, alongside several advisories. The tester flagged front tyres worn close to the legal limit on both edges, front lower suspension ball joint dust covers severely deteriorated on both sides, rear brake pads wearing thin, slight play in the offside front wheel bearing, a corroded offside front coil spring, and corrosion affecting the offside rear and nearside rear vehicle structure. Front inner arches and the underbody were also noted as corroded. These are not fresh issues. Many of the same defects, particularly the ball joint dust covers and structural corrosion, were present or developing in earlier tests, suggesting a pattern of deterioration that has accelerated over the past two years rather than being resolved. The mileage accumulation tells its own story. Between the clean pass on 20 October 2023 at 182,634 miles and the November 2024 failure at 190,593 miles, the van covered roughly 7,959 miles in thirteen months. Then between November 2024 and the March 2026 test at 196,244 miles, it added a further 5,651 miles over approximately fifteen months. The annualised rate sits around 12,265 miles per year, which is high for a sixteen-year-old commercial vehicle. That kind of sustained mileage places continuous stress on suspension bushes, brake components, wheel bearings, and structural mounting points, particularly on a vehicle that has spent its working life carrying load. The November 2024 failure is the most concerning entry in the record. Both nearside and offside rear leaf spring main leaves were fractured, and the tester identified significant structural corrosion across the offside sill, both front inner arches, the nearside rear inner arch, and the nearside front chassis leg. These were not minor surface defects. The corrosion was severe enough to reduce structural rigidity, which is a serious concern on a commercial vehicle where the body and chassis bear repeated load stress. The fact that the March 2026 pass still notes fractured and deformed rear structure, albeit with rigidity not significantly reduced, raises questions about whether repairs were cosmetic rather than structural. A buyer should inspect the rear leaf springs carefully for cracks and corrosion around the mounting points, check both front coil springs for section loss, and verify the condition of the front inner arches and underbody with a thorough physical inspection rather than relying on visual assessment alone. The front lower ball joint dust covers have been repeatedly flagged as severely deteriorated, meaning contamination of the joints is likely, and the offside front wheel bearing play warrants measurement. Rear brake pads were wearing thin in March 2026 and should be checked for remaining life. Given the history of structural corrosion and fractured leaf springs, a professional underbody inspection is strongly advised before purchase.