2017 Fiat -Trail — MOT failures & pass rate
6,938 MOT tests on the 2017 Fiat -Trail are in this dataset, and 94.8% of them passed. That is 7.4 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 12.6%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and seat belts & restraints.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (3.3%) and visibility (3.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and srs malfunction indicator lamp — wipers alone was recorded 251 times.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 8.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 4.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 6.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 3.3% | 231 |
| 2 | Visibility | 3.1% | 216 |
| 3 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.0% | 70 |
| 4 | Brakes | 0.9% | 62 |
| 5 | Tyres | 0.6% | 41 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.5% | 37 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 251 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 108 |
| 3 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 70 |
| 4 | Outline marker lamp | 48 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 35 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 31 |
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 | 8.1% | 562 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.5% | 174 |
| 3 | Visibility | 2.0% | 140 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.8% | 128 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.7% | 115 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.9% | 65 |
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 | 6,348 | 4.9% |
| 30-60k | 567 | 8.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,410 | 4.5% |
| 2022 | 1,428 | 4.7% |
| 2023 | 1,424 | 5.0% |
| 2024 | 1,299 | 5.6% |
| 2025 | 1,377 | 6.3% |
What to check before buying a 2017 -Trail
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 3.3% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (3.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- 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.
- Seat belts & restraints (1.0% of tests): Belt damage or faulty pretensioners — usually straightforward but safety-critical. Typical repair: £50–£300.
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 -Trails pass their MOT?
94.8% of the 6,938 2017 Fiat -Trail MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 5.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Fiat -Trail?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 3.3% of tests, followed by visibility (3.1%).
Does the 2017 -Trail get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 4.9% in the 0-30k band to 8.5% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,938 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.