Ford Transit Custom known problems and what to check
What goes wrong on a used Ford Transit Custom, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides and what to check before you buy one.
The 2017 Ford Transit Custom
Too few Ford Transit Custom cars first registered in 2017 had an MOT during 2025 for reliable MOT figures. There are no known faults on record for this year in the UK buying guides we use, so the rest of this page covers the Ford Transit Custom as a whole.
What to check on a 2017 car
- MOT history
Check the reg below: its MOT history shows what has been failed or advised, and whether the mileage adds up.
- Service history
Look for regular servicing and receipts for big jobs like a cambelt or clutch.
- Finance and write-offs
MOT records don’t show outstanding finance or insurance write-offs. A history check does.
- Test drive
Listen for knocks over bumps, check every warning light goes out, and make sure the gears and brakes feel right.
Other years
Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).
What usually goes wrong with a Ford Transit Custom?
Known faults reported by owners, mechanics and UK buying guides, in our own words. Most apply to certain years or engines only, so check which the car has.
- Cars registered 2018–2025 · 2.0 EcoBlue diesel (most Ford 2.0 diesels from about 2018)
Oil pump belt that runs in oil (2.0 EcoBlue diesel)
The 2.0 EcoBlue diesel drives its oil pump with a belt that runs in the engine oil. As it wears it can shed rubber and cut oil pressure, which can wreck the engine. Ford has shortened the change interval on the Transit to 6 years or 100,000 miles.
At the viewing: Ask when the oil pump belt was last changed, and watch for an oil-pressure warning light.
Source: Parkers: everything you need to know about the Ford wet belt
Questions to ask the seller before buying a Ford Transit Custom
Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.
- Has the oil pump belt been changed, and is there a full service history?
- Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?
Looking at a Ford Transit Custom?
Check the actual car: its own MOT history and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.
Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score