2017 Hyundai Santa-Fe — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2017 Hyundai Santa-Fe passed 87.6% of its 15,031 recorded MOT tests. Against large SUVs of a similar age (11.3% fail rate), the 2017 Santa-Fe comes out 1.0pp worse. Failures cluster in tyres, brakes and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.5%) and brakes (4.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, wipers and tread depth — brake pads alone was recorded 589 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.6% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 27.9% once past 150k — 4.3× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 24.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 10.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 14.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.5% | 669 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.3% | 643 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 4.1% | 617 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.8% | 427 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.8% | 274 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.8% | 116 |
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 | 589 |
| 2 | Wipers | 413 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 335 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 267 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 223 |
| 6 | Shock absorbers | 143 |
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 | 24.7% | 3,711 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.3% | 2,898 |
| 3 | Other defects | 8.6% | 1,295 |
| 4 | Suspension | 5.2% | 782 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.9% | 440 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.2% | 187 |
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 | 2,072 | 6.6% |
| 30-60k | 7,746 | 11.5% |
| 60-90k | 4,132 | 15.5% |
| 90-120k | 906 | 18.5% |
| 120-150k | 132 | 13.6% |
| 150k+ | 43 | 27.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,975 | 10.1% |
| 2022 | 3,026 | 12.2% |
| 2023 | 2,984 | 11.8% |
| 2024 | 3,036 | 13.4% |
| 2025 | 3,010 | 14.4% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Santa-Fe
On a 2017 Santa-Fe, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 4.5% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (4.5% 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 (4.3% 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 Santa-Fes pass their MOT?
87.6% of the 15,031 2017 Hyundai Santa-Fe MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Hyundai Santa-Fe?
Tyres, recorded in 4.5% of tests, followed by brakes (4.3%).
Does the 2017 Santa-Fe get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.6% in the 0-30k band to 27.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 15,031 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.