2017 Ford C Max — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2017 Ford C Max passed 89.8% of its 44,684 recorded MOT tests. That is 3.4 percentage points better than MPVs of a similar age, which fail at 13.6%. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.0%) and visibility (3.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, brake pads and tread depth — wipers alone was recorded 1,473 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 19.2% once past 150k — 3.1× the risk.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 9.8% of the time against 10.5% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 26.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 7.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.0% | 2,236 |
| 2 | Visibility | 3.9% | 1,736 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.8% | 1,229 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.6% | 1,170 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.9% | 390 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.8% | 339 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 1,473 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 1,307 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 1,180 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 579 |
| 5 | Washers | 406 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 280 |
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 | 26.2% | 11,687 |
| 2 | Brakes | 15.1% | 6,739 |
| 3 | Other defects | 8.9% | 3,974 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.8% | 2,154 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.2% | 1,430 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.1% | 508 |
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 | 15,014 | 6.1% |
| 30-60k | 21,558 | 11.1% |
| 60-90k | 6,561 | 15.0% |
| 90-120k | 1,211 | 17.0% |
| 120-150k | 234 | 15.4% |
| 150k+ | 99 | 19.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 22,359 | 10.5% |
| Petrol | 22,320 | 9.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 8,716 | 7.2% |
| 2022 | 8,925 | 9.3% |
| 2023 | 9,060 | 11.0% |
| 2024 | 8,954 | 11.3% |
| 2025 | 9,029 | 12.0% |
What to check before buying a 2017 C Max
On a 2017 C Max, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.0% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (5.0% 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.
- Visibility (3.9% 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.
- Brakes (2.8% 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.
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 Ford C Maxs pass their MOT?
89.8% of the 44,684 2017 Ford C Max MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Ford C Max?
Tyres, recorded in 5.0% of tests, followed by visibility (3.9%).
Does the 2017 C Max get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.1% in the 0-30k band to 19.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 44,684 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.