FIELD GUIDE

Ford Transit Problems
The Honest Guide for Owners

The issues that actually strand people. What to watch for, how to catch them early, and what repairs really cost. From an engineer, not a content farm.

The Transit has been Europe's best-selling commercial vehicle for decades, and for good reason. Strong engines, dense dealer network, competitive pricing, good driving dynamics for a large van. But popularity also means a very large dataset of problems, and patterns emerge quickly.

This guide focuses on the European-market diesel Transit - the MK7 (2006-2013) and MK8 (2013-present), including the Transit Custom. If you are looking at a US-market petrol V6 Transit, some of these apply but the engine-specific issues will differ.

1. Turbocharger Failure

This is the big one. Turbo failure is the most commonly reported serious problem on the Transit diesel. The turbocharger on the 2.2 TDCi (MK7 and early MK8) and the 2.0 EcoBlue (later MK8) can fail for several reasons: oil starvation from blocked oil feed pipes, carbon build-up from short journeys, or a failed turbo actuator that prevents the variable vanes from adjusting.

Symptoms: Loss of power (the van feels sluggish or goes into limp mode), black smoke from the exhaust, a whining or whistling noise from the engine bay that changes with RPM, and the engine management light coming on.

What actually happens: In most cases it is not the turbo itself that fails first - it is the actuator or the oil supply. The electronic actuator that controls the variable-geometry vanes seizes due to carbon build-up or electrical failure. Once the vanes stick, boost pressure becomes uncontrolled: either too much (over-boost, limp mode) or too little (no power). If ignored, the turbo bearings eventually fail from the strain.

How to catch it early: Listen for any new whining sound that rises with engine speed. Watch for intermittent power loss, especially under load (hills, overtaking, heavy cargo). Check for play in the turbo shaft by removing the intake pipe and wiggling the compressor wheel - any detectable movement means the bearings are worn.

2. EGR Valve Clogging

The Exhaust Gas Recirculation valve redirects a portion of exhaust gas back into the intake to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions. The problem is that exhaust gas contains soot, and over time this soot builds up inside the EGR valve and the intake manifold, eventually restricting airflow and choking the engine.

Symptoms: Rough idle, increased fuel consumption, loss of power at low RPM, black smoke, and the engine management light. In severe cases the engine stalls or will not restart.

Why Transits are particularly affected: Many Transits spend their lives doing short urban journeys - deliveries, trades, school runs. The engine never reaches the sustained high temperatures needed to burn off soot deposits naturally. This is the perfect recipe for EGR clogging.

The fix: Cleaning the EGR valve is a temporary solution. Replacement is more permanent (€200-400 for the part, plus labour). Some owners choose to blank the EGR off entirely with a blanking plate, which solves the clogging problem but is illegal for road use in most European countries and will fail an MOT or TÜV inspection.

3. Diesel Injector Problems

Injector failure is particularly common on the MK7's 2.2 TDCi engine. The injectors develop leaks, become clogged, or fail electronically. A single failed injector causes the engine to run roughly. Multiple failures cause serious running problems, excessive smoke, and potential engine damage from unburned fuel washing the cylinder bores.

Symptoms: Rough running (especially at idle), knocking or rattling from the engine, excessive white or black smoke, diesel smell in the cabin, and poor fuel economy.

The real cost: The injector itself is €150-300 per unit. But on the MK7, injectors can seize into the cylinder head. Removing a seized injector requires specialist extraction tools and sometimes cylinder head removal. That is where costs escalate from a few hundred to over €1,500. When buying a used MK7, always ask whether the injectors have been replaced and whether they came out cleanly.

4. DPF Issues

The Diesel Particulate Filter captures soot from the exhaust and periodically burns it off through a process called regeneration. The problem is identical to the EGR issue: short trips. If the van never reaches the sustained exhaust temperatures needed for regeneration, the DPF fills up, the engine goes into limp mode, and eventually the DPF blocks completely.

Symptoms: DPF warning light on the dashboard, loss of power, limp mode, increased fuel consumption, and a strong hot or burning smell during attempted regeneration.

What you need to know: A blocked DPF is almost always a usage problem, not a manufacturing defect. Transits used for motorway work rarely have DPF issues. Transits used for urban deliveries and short trips clog their DPFs regularly. A forced regeneration at a dealer costs €100-200. A new DPF costs €800-2,000 fitted. DPF removal is illegal for road vehicles in Europe and will fail emissions testing.

5. Premature Rear Brake Wear

On most vehicles, front brakes wear faster than rears because they do most of the work under deceleration. The Transit is different. Many owners report rear brake pads and discs wearing out significantly faster than the fronts - sometimes lasting only 15,000-25,000 km.

Why it happens: The Transit's electronic stability control and hill-start assist systems engage the rear brakes independently and frequently. Traction control on wet or slippery surfaces applies rear brakes aggressively. Combined with the weight distribution of a loaded cargo van (heavy at the back), the rear brakes take a disproportionate beating.

The fix: Rear pads and discs are relatively cheap (€150-400 depending on quality and whether you fit them yourself). The real issue is catching it before the pads wear completely through and damage the caliper or carrier. Check rear brake pad thickness every 15,000 km. It sounds obsessive until you see the cost of replacing a scored disc and a seized caliper because a pad wore down to metal.

6. Dual-Mass Flywheel and Clutch Wear

The dual-mass flywheel (DMF) absorbs torsional vibrations between the engine and gearbox. It is a wear item, but on Transits that do a lot of stop-start urban driving, it can fail prematurely - sometimes before 100,000 km.

Symptoms: A rattling or knocking noise from the bellhousing area, especially at idle or when the clutch is depressed. Vibration through the clutch pedal. Difficulty engaging gears smoothly. In advanced failure, the flywheel can break apart internally, which is a roadside-stop-immediately situation.

The cost problem: When a DMF fails, you replace it together with the clutch - because the labour to access the flywheel is the expensive part (dropping the gearbox). A DMF + clutch kit runs €400-800 in parts. Labour adds €600-1,500 depending on the workshop. Total: €1,000-2,500. This is the repair that makes people sell their Transit.

7. Electrical Gremlins

Electrical issues on the Transit are diverse and frustrating. The most commonly reported: alternator failure (especially on MK7), battery drain, faulty instrument cluster readings, central locking malfunctions, and sensor failures that trigger warning lights without an actual mechanical problem.

The windshield water intrusion problem deserves special mention. On some Transit models, water from the windshield area runs down into the engine compartment rather than being properly channelled away. This water can reach the air filter box and, in severe cases, electrical connectors in the engine bay. Ford addressed this partially on later models, but it remains a known weak point on earlier MK8 vans.

For van lifers: If you have added an aftermarket electrical system (leisure battery, solar, inverter), make sure it is properly isolated from the vehicle's factory electrics. Poorly installed van conversions cause more electrical problems than the Transit itself. A €10 multimeter and basic wiring knowledge will save you hundreds in diagnostic fees.

8. Rust

The Transit is a commercial vehicle built to a price point. Its rust protection is adequate for a five-year fleet life. It is not adequate for someone planning to keep the van for 10-15 years or convert it for van life. Rust typically appears first on the wheel arches, lower door edges, sills, underside of the cargo floor, and around the rear door hinges.

Where to look: Get underneath and inspect the chassis rails, crossmembers, and brake lines. On the body, check the seams where panels meet - particularly the bottom edge of the sliding door aperture and the lower rear corners. Bubbling paint is surface rust that has already progressed underneath.

For van life buyers: A Transit from Spain, Italy, or southern France will have dramatically less corrosion than one from the UK, Netherlands, Germany, or Scandinavia where salt is used heavily on roads. If you are buying a van to convert, the country of origin matters more than the service history for rust assessment. A well-maintained UK Transit with 80,000 km can have worse structural rust than a neglected Spanish one with 200,000 km.

9. Power Steering Problems

The Transit Custom in particular has reported issues with its electric power steering system. Symptoms include heavy steering (the assistance cuts out intermittently or completely), a steering warning light, and in some cases a clicking or grinding noise when turning at low speed.

Common causes: A loose bolt in the steering gear assembly (identified in a recall), a failing electric power steering motor, or a faulty steering angle sensor. The recall should have been addressed by dealers, but if you are buying a used Transit Custom from 2013-2017, verify that it was completed.

On the full-size Transit, hydraulic power steering pump leaks and failures are the more common issue, particularly on high-mileage MK7 models.

10. What to Check Before Buying a Used Transit

If you are considering a used Transit - whether for work or for a van conversion - here is the inspection checklist that matters:

The Bottom Line

The Ford Transit is a good vehicle. It is not a perfect one. But then, no van is - the Sprinter has its own expensive list (injectors, DEF system, rust on the W906), the Ducato has gearbox and suspension issues, and the Crafter shares many of its problems with the Transit through similar engineering constraints.

What makes the Transit competitive is cost. Parts are cheaper than Sprinter equivalents, the dealer network is massive, and independent mechanics who know Transits well are everywhere in Europe. If you maintain it properly, address problems early instead of ignoring warning lights, and give it a motorway run regularly, a Transit will serve you reliably for 200,000 km or more.

If you are buying one to live in, the best thing you can do is arm yourself with knowledge. You are now holding it.

Written by Gaetan Della Pietra, founder of Tactic Engineering. Engineer first, overlander always.