2017 Ford Transit Courier — MOT failures & pass rate
23,700 MOT tests on the 2017 Ford Transit Courier are in this dataset, and 83.0% of them passed. That is effectively the same as vans of a similar age (17.8% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.6% of tests against 6.1% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are stop lamp, headlamp aim and tread depth — stop lamp alone was recorded 1,818 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 9.4% in the 0-30k band and 21.4% in the 150k+ band, a 12.0-point spread — more than double.
The petrol cars hold up better: 15.5% fail against 17.0% for diesel, a 1.5-point gap across 23,700 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 26.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 14.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 20.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 14.6% | 3,460 |
| 2 | Tyres | 6.1% | 1,456 |
| 3 | Visibility | 5.2% | 1,223 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.3% | 1,027 |
| 5 | Brakes | 3.5% | 820 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.1% | 502 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stop lamp | 1,818 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 1,114 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 1,027 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 894 |
| 5 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 711 |
| 6 | Wipers | 654 |
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 | 26.1% | 6,196 |
| 2 | Brakes | 13.8% | 3,261 |
| 3 | Visibility | 9.7% | 2,293 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 8.0% | 1,898 |
| 5 | Other defects | 6.5% | 1,539 |
| 6 | Suspension | 6.0% | 1,422 |
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 | 1,926 | 9.4% |
| 30-60k | 6,421 | 14.7% |
| 60-90k | 7,273 | 17.5% |
| 90-120k | 4,821 | 19.7% |
| 120-150k | 2,058 | 20.5% |
| 150k+ | 1,157 | 21.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 22,483 | 17.0% |
| Petrol | 1,217 | 15.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,739 | 14.1% |
| 2022 | 4,773 | 15.6% |
| 2023 | 4,828 | 17.2% |
| 2024 | 4,690 | 18.0% |
| 2025 | 4,670 | 20.0% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Transit Courier
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 14.6% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (14.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (6.1% 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 (5.2% 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 Transit Couriers pass their MOT?
83.0% of the 23,700 2017 Ford Transit Courier MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Ford Transit Courier?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.6% of tests, followed by tyres (6.1%).
Does the 2017 Transit Courier get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.4% in the 0-30k band to 21.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 23,700 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.