2020 Ford Galaxy — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2020 Ford Galaxy passed 87.9% of its 5,772 recorded MOT tests. That is 1.2 percentage points worse than MPVs of a similar age, which fail at 10.9%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (6.6%) and tyres (4.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp, brake pads and tread depth — headlamp alone was recorded 248 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2020 Galaxy fails 9.3% of the time in the 0-30k band and 12.5% at 120-150k, a spread of only 3.2 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 23.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 8.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.6% | 378 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.6% | 264 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.8% | 164 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.5% | 146 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.6% | 93 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.1% | 61 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp | 248 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 196 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 122 |
| 4 | Wipers | 113 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 107 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 80 |
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 | 23.4% | 1,351 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.4% | 948 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.7% | 442 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.9% | 168 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.8% | 163 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.9% | 52 |
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 | 2,545 | 9.3% |
| 30-60k | 2,303 | 14.4% |
| 60-90k | 697 | 14.8% |
| 90-120k | 146 | 13.0% |
| 120-150k | 56 | 12.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 37 | 8.1% |
| 2022 | 110 | 1.8% |
| 2023 | 1,905 | 12.7% |
| 2024 | 1,843 | 11.9% |
| 2025 | 1,877 | 12.5% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Galaxy
On a 2020 Galaxy, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 6.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (6.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (4.6% 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 (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 2020 Ford Galaxys pass their MOT?
87.9% of the 5,772 2020 Ford Galaxy MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Ford Galaxy?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.6% of tests, followed by tyres (4.6%).
Does the 2020 Galaxy get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.3% in the 0-30k band to 12.5% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 5,772 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.