2017 Ford Galaxy — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2017 Ford Galaxy passed 87.8% of its 30,374 recorded MOT tests. That is 1.4 percentage points better than MPVs of a similar age, which fail at 13.6%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (6.1%) and tyres (5.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, brake pads and wipers — tread depth alone was recorded 1,040 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2017 Galaxy fails 8.7% of the time in the 0-30k band and 12.6% at 150k+, a spread of only 3.9 points.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 11.4% of the time against 12.2% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 23.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 9.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 14.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.1% | 1,861 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.7% | 1,725 |
| 3 | Brakes | 3.6% | 1,090 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.3% | 990 |
| 5 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.0% | 291 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.7% | 203 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 1,040 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 973 |
| 3 | Wipers | 933 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 579 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 559 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 441 |
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 | 23.8% | 7,217 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.5% | 5,911 |
| 3 | Other defects | 8.6% | 2,624 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 5.8% | 1,773 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 4.3% | 1,320 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.5% | 1,058 |
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 | 3,723 | 8.7% |
| 30-60k | 10,131 | 11.2% |
| 60-90k | 7,158 | 14.2% |
| 90-120k | 4,462 | 13.2% |
| 120-150k | 2,583 | 13.8% |
| 150k+ | 2,311 | 12.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 29,479 | 12.2% |
| Petrol | 893 | 11.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 6,035 | 9.2% |
| 2022 | 6,146 | 11.2% |
| 2023 | 6,149 | 12.6% |
| 2024 | 6,062 | 13.6% |
| 2025 | 5,982 | 14.5% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Galaxy
On a 2017 Galaxy, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 6.1% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (6.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.7% 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.
- Brakes (3.6% 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 Galaxys pass their MOT?
87.8% of the 30,374 2017 Ford Galaxy MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Ford Galaxy?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.1% of tests, followed by tyres (5.7%).
Does the 2017 Galaxy get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.7% in the 0-30k band to 12.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 30,374 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.