2017 Ford Mondeo — MOT failures & pass rate
62,619 MOT tests on the 2017 Ford Mondeo are in this dataset, and 88.6% of them passed. That is 2.3 percentage points better than large family cars of a similar age, which fail at 13.7%. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.7%) and lighting & signalling (4.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, wipers and brake pads — tread depth alone was recorded 2,415 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 16.7% versus 6.6%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 1.9pp more often than petrol ones (11.5% vs 9.6%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 24.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 10.4% 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 | Tyres | 5.7% | 3,562 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 4.0% | 2,509 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.0% | 1,902 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.9% | 1,849 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.9% | 568 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.6% | 374 |
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 | 2,415 |
| 2 | Wipers | 1,904 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 1,738 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 1,037 |
| 5 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 773 |
| 6 | Side repeaters | 452 |
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 | 24.5% | 15,369 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.0% | 11,908 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.8% | 4,224 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 4.2% | 2,657 |
| 5 | Suspension | 3.4% | 2,134 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.3% | 2,055 |
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 | 6,299 | 6.6% |
| 30-60k | 21,109 | 10.0% |
| 60-90k | 18,365 | 11.9% |
| 90-120k | 9,885 | 13.6% |
| 120-150k | 4,162 | 14.1% |
| 150k+ | 2,786 | 16.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 56,870 | 11.5% |
| Petrol | 4,616 | 9.6% |
| Hybrid | 1,133 | 10.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 12,795 | 10.4% |
| 2022 | 12,555 | 10.4% |
| 2023 | 12,523 | 11.7% |
| 2024 | 12,444 | 11.8% |
| 2025 | 12,302 | 12.5% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Mondeo
On a 2017 Mondeo, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- 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.
- Lighting & signalling (4.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (3.0% 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 Ford Mondeos pass their MOT?
88.6% of the 62,619 2017 Ford Mondeo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Ford Mondeo?
Tyres, recorded in 5.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (4.0%).
Does the 2017 Mondeo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.6% in the 0-30k band to 16.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 62,619 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.