2017 Bentley Continental — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2017 Bentley Continental passed 97.8% of its 402 recorded MOT tests. Against coupes & convertibles of a similar age (9.7% fail rate), the 2017 Continental comes out 7.5pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and other defects.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (1.2%) and lighting & signalling (1.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are registration plates, headlamp aim and malfunction indicator lamp — registration plates alone was recorded 3 times.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 1.2% | 5 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.0% | 4 |
| 3 | Other defects | 0.5% | 2 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 0.5% | 2 |
| 5 | Visibility | 0.3% | 1 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.3% | 1 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Registration plates | 3 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 3 |
| 3 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 2 |
| 4 | Stop lamp | 1 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 1 |
| 6 | Washers | 1 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 7.0% | 28 |
| 2 | Visibility | 1.5% | 6 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.0% | 4 |
| 4 | Suspension | 1.0% | 4 |
| 5 | Other defects | 1.0% | 4 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.3% | 1 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 340 | 2.1% |
| 30-60k | 57 | 3.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 90 | 2.2% |
| 2022 | 82 | 4.9% |
| 2023 | 78 | 1.3% |
| 2024 | 75 | 0.0% |
| 2025 | 77 | 2.6% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Continental
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 1.2% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (1.2% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Lighting & signalling (1.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Other defects (0.5% of tests): Miscellaneous items not in the main categories. Typical repair: varies.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2017 Bentley Continentals pass their MOT?
97.8% of the 402 2017 Bentley Continental MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 2.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Bentley Continental?
Tyres, recorded in 1.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (1.0%).
Does the 2017 Continental get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 2.1% in the 0-30k band to 3.5% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 402 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.