2017 Ford Tourneo Custom — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2017 Ford Tourneo Custom passed 85.0% of its 366 recorded MOT tests. MPVs of a similar age fail 13.9% of the time, so this is 1.2pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (6.8%) and brakes (5.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, pins and bushes and washers — brake pads alone was recorded 13 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.6% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 17.5% once past 150k — 2.0× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 25.1% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.8% | 25 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.5% | 20 |
| 3 | Suspension | 4.4% | 16 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.5% | 13 |
| 5 | Tyres | 3.0% | 11 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.0% | 11 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 13 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 10 |
| 3 | Washers | 8 |
| 4 | Linkage pins and bushes | 8 |
| 5 | Joints | 7 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 6 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 25.1% | 92 |
| 2 | Suspension | 18.0% | 66 |
| 3 | Tyres | 16.7% | 61 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.3% | 23 |
| 5 | Visibility | 6.3% | 23 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 4.6% | 17 |
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 | 35 | 8.6% |
| 30-60k | 133 | 15.0% |
| 60-90k | 81 | 14.8% |
| 90-120k | 54 | 14.8% |
| 150k+ | 40 | 17.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 56 | 17.9% |
| 2022 | 68 | 10.3% |
| 2023 | 73 | 13.7% |
| 2024 | 87 | 14.9% |
| 2025 | 82 | 18.3% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Tourneo Custom
On a 2017 Tourneo Custom, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 6.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (6.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (5.5% 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.
- Suspension (4.4% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
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 Tourneo Customs pass their MOT?
85.0% of the 366 2017 Ford Tourneo Custom MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Ford Tourneo Custom?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.8% of tests, followed by brakes (5.5%).
Does the 2017 Tourneo Custom get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.6% in the 0-30k band to 17.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 366 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.