2017 Fiat Ducato — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2017 Fiat Ducato passed 89.8% of its 11,455 recorded MOT tests. Vans of a similar age fail 17.8% of the time, so this is 7.6pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (6.9%) and brakes (4.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, wipers and rbt (sp) — headlamp aim alone was recorded 474 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 13.3% versus 7.0%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 9.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 9.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.9% | 795 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.0% | 455 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.1% | 354 |
| 4 | Suspension | 2.0% | 225 |
| 5 | Tyres | 1.5% | 169 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.2% | 140 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 474 |
| 2 | Wipers | 318 |
| 3 | Rbt (sp) | 231 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 171 |
| 5 | Outline marker lamp | 148 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 133 |
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 | 9.9% | 1,137 |
| 2 | Brakes | 6.7% | 770 |
| 3 | Suspension | 4.6% | 525 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.8% | 431 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 3.3% | 381 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.5% | 287 |
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 | 6,168 | 7.0% |
| 30-60k | 2,211 | 12.7% |
| 60-90k | 739 | 15.6% |
| 90-120k | 588 | 15.8% |
| 120-150k | 565 | 15.0% |
| 150k+ | 1,178 | 13.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,324 | 9.0% |
| 2022 | 2,255 | 8.3% |
| 2023 | 2,256 | 9.7% |
| 2024 | 2,312 | 11.4% |
| 2025 | 2,308 | 12.4% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Ducato
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 6.9% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (6.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (4.0% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Visibility (3.1% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
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 Fiat Ducatos pass their MOT?
89.8% of the 11,455 2017 Fiat Ducato MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Fiat Ducato?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.9% of tests, followed by brakes (4.0%).
Does the 2017 Ducato get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.0% in the 0-30k band to 13.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 11,455 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.