2011 Ford Transit 2.4L Diesel · TC58 TLC

A serious structural corrosion problem dominates the MOT history of this 2011 Ford Transit tipper and represents the most pressing mechanical concern. The 2026 test recorded a Dangerous failure for a corroded floor throughout the tipper body with affected crossmember floor supports, alongside a Major defect for excessive corrosion on the offside body mounting rail within 30cm of a body mounting point. That same 2026 visit also failed on a missing obligatory mirror, a missing front registration plate, and a missing nearside rear seat belt buckle, the latter three being relatively straightforward items but indicative of general deterioration. Earlier years show a recurring pattern of rear lamp and lighting defects, with the offside rear fog lamp and stop lamp failing on both 2023 and 2025 tests, and an offside rear road wheel fixing was missing at the 2025 failure. Taken together, the trajectory is clearly worsening rather than stable, with the most recent outcome being a Dangerous failure driven primarily by body integrity rather than any single component defect. Annual mileage on this Transit averages around 9,800 miles per year across roughly fifteen years, which sits close to typical usage for a commercial vehicle of this age. However, there is a noticeable gap between the September 2021 test and the January 2023 test, suggesting either a period off the road or limited use during that interval, while the more recent annual testing from 2023 through 2026 implies regular operational use. The advisory history supports heavy commercial duty, with repeated oil leaks noted in 2021, 2024, and 2025, both inner and outer brake disc surface wear on the rear axle in 2023 and 2024, steering rack inner joint play flagged in 2021 and 2024, an anti-roll bar linkage ball joint replacement in 2024, and front suspension arm pin or bush wear with wheel bearing play noted in 2023. These items reflect steady wear of steering, braking, and suspension consumables consistent with the load-carrying role of a tipper body. A prospective buyer should treat the structural corrosion findings as the central concern and arrange a thorough physical inspection of the entire load floor, the body mounting rails, crossmembers, and any outriggers or hinge points on the tipper mechanism. Pushing down on the floor with a hand or foot will quickly reveal if panels have gone thin, and looking underneath for daylight visible through the structure is a reliable way to confirm the MOT findings. With the steering rack inner joint play flagged across multiple years, on the test drive listen and feel for any knocking or looseness through the steering as the wheels are turned at low speed, and check for uneven tyre wear that would indicate a worn rack or worn inner tie rods. The offside front suspension components should be examined for any clunk over speed humps or uneven bumps, paying particular attention to anti-roll bar links and the front suspension arm bushes. Brake performance should also be assessed carefully given the rear brake disc advisories in both 2023 and 2024. On test, firm pedal applications from speed should produce a straight, stable stop without pulling to either side, and any judder through the pedal would suggest the rear discs have further deteriorated beyond the pitted condition noted at the 2024 test. The persistent oil leak advisories warrant a check for fresh residue around the engine and gearbox joints, with particular attention to the rocker cover and sump area when the vehicle is viewed from underneath. Finally, with the rear lamp cluster defects having appeared twice across recent tests, all lighting including fog lamps, stop lamps, direction indicators, and the number plate illumination should be verified as functional, and a walk around the nearside rear seat belt buckle area should confirm the buckle is present and latches correctly, as a missing buckle was a fail item at the most recent test.