2018 Ford Transit 2.0L Diesel · SL68 KLU

The defining mechanical story of this 2018 Ford Transit is a chassis and undercarriage that has attracted repeated DVSA attention for corrosion, gaiters, boots, and brake component wear. The most recent outcome on 13 February 2026 was a pass, but only after a serious failure just four days earlier on 9 February 2026, where the nearside front outer brake pad was recorded at less than 1.5 mm, classed as dangerous, alongside a missing offside steering rack gaiter and a split nearside front CV boot. This is the second such episode in the record: in January 2024 another dangerous brake pad finding on the offside rear inner pad was accompanied by a leaking power steering pipe, an indicator colour defect, and another split nearside front CV boot. Across the seven tests recorded since 2021, four are passes with no defects and three are failures, and the failures are not isolated oddities but concentrated around the same underbody assemblies: steering and drivetrain gaiters, front suspension ball joint dust covers, brake pad material, and power steering pipework. Mileage at the latest test stands at 90,954 miles on an eight year old commercial, equating to roughly 11,369 miles annually, which sits broadly in line with typical Transit duty cycles. There is, however, a notable gap in testing between November 2021 and December 2022 and then continuous annual testing thereafter, with mileage progression from the 2021 pass through to the early 2026 tests indicating steady accumulation rather than any dramatic spikes or extended lay-ups. For a vehicle of this age and duty profile, the mechanical implication is steady wear on consumables and underbody components rather than the particular risks associated with very low mileage or long stationary periods, and the recorded pattern of advisories on brake pipes, brake pads, oil leaks and tyre wear is consistent with a working van accumulating real world use. A prospective buyer should treat the steering, drivetrain and brake undercarriage as the primary inspection focus. On a test drive, listen for any clonking or clicking from the front wheels over full lock, particularly on full steering lock where a torn CV boot will throw grease and allow gritty play into the joint, and check the inside of both front wheels for fresh black grease splatter on the suspension or inner CV housing. With the 2024 power steering pipe leak on record, cold start the vehicle and watch the steering rack and the pipework running to it for any seepage or fresh drips, and feel for any momentary stiffness, whine, or uneven assistance when turning from lock to lock. For the brake system, given the dangerous pad findings on both the nearside front and offside rear inner in successive years, check that pedal feel is firm without excessive travel, that the van does not pull markedly under heavy braking, and that there is no grinding or scraping noise from any corner. With the advisories for rear brake pipe corrosion along the long rear axle and an oil leak noted in 2025, a lift inspection is strongly advisable to confirm the integrity of the brake lines along their full length and to identify the source of any oil weeps from the engine or transmission before they progress. Finally, the suspension assembly flagged in late 2022 warrants direct attention on any test drive. The nearside front suspension arm ball joint dust cover was found to no longer prevent ingress of dirt, which means the joint itself should now be checked for play by hand with the wheel loaded and unloaded, and the buyer should listen for any knock or rattle over uneven surfaces, speed bumps, or when braking hard, as a worn ball joint will typically announce itself as a metallic clunk rather than a soft bushing thud. The advisories for nearside rear and offside front tyre wear close to the legal limit with edge wear suggest the alignment should also be checked, as uneven shoulder wear on a commercial vehicle often points to worn front bushes, sagging coil springs, or a tracking issue rather than simple tyre ageing. Taken together, the record shows a vehicle that is fundamentally roadworthy at its most recent test but carries a documented pattern of underbody component degradation that warrants a pre-purchase lift inspection and a careful road test focusing on steering, braking, and suspension response.