2017 Hyundai i40 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 14,604 MOT tests, the 2017 Hyundai i40 recorded an 87.8% pass rate. Large family cars of a similar age fail 13.6% of the time, so this is 1.4pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, brakes and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.8%) and brakes (4.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, tread depth and wipers — brake pads alone was recorded 489 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.5% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 16.2% once past 150k.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 26.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 11.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 14.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.8% | 839 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.2% | 607 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 4.1% | 603 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.7% | 397 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.6% | 226 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.0% | 144 |
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 | 489 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 388 |
| 3 | Wipers | 387 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 303 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 264 |
| 6 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 170 |
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 | 26.7% | 3,899 |
| 2 | Brakes | 20.5% | 2,992 |
| 3 | Other defects | 8.2% | 1,194 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.5% | 515 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.3% | 480 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.6% | 385 |
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 | 1,184 | 8.5% |
| 30-60k | 5,560 | 10.4% |
| 60-90k | 4,377 | 13.1% |
| 90-120k | 1,975 | 14.9% |
| 120-150k | 878 | 14.9% |
| 150k+ | 629 | 16.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,990 | 11.4% |
| 2022 | 2,958 | 10.7% |
| 2023 | 2,970 | 11.9% |
| 2024 | 2,878 | 13.1% |
| 2025 | 2,808 | 14.0% |
What to check before buying a 2017 i40
On a 2017 i40, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (5.8% 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 (4.2% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (4.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£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 Hyundai i40s pass their MOT?
87.8% of the 14,604 2017 Hyundai i40 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Hyundai i40?
Tyres, recorded in 5.8% of tests, followed by brakes (4.2%).
Does the 2017 i40 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.5% in the 0-30k band to 16.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 14,604 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.