2017 Jeep Cherokee — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2017 Jeep Cherokee passed 85.3% of its 3,175 recorded MOT tests. Against mid-size SUVs of a similar age (11.8% fail rate), the 2017 Cherokee comes out 2.9pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (6.6%) and tyres (4.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp, pins and bushes and wipers — headlamp alone was recorded 214 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.2% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 20.3% once past 90-120k — 2.5× the risk.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 23.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 13.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 16.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.6% | 209 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.5% | 142 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.5% | 112 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.2% | 103 |
| 5 | Brakes | 2.5% | 80 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.4% | 75 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp | 214 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 107 |
| 3 | Wipers | 102 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 68 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 60 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 50 |
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 | 23.2% | 738 |
| 2 | Tyres | 22.6% | 716 |
| 3 | Suspension | 8.3% | 262 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.6% | 210 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 4.5% | 143 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.1% | 99 |
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 | 631 | 8.2% |
| 30-60k | 1,619 | 14.3% |
| 60-90k | 744 | 19.4% |
| 90-120k | 153 | 20.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 3,100 | 14.6% |
| Petrol | 75 | 20.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 641 | 13.3% |
| 2022 | 644 | 14.9% |
| 2023 | 624 | 12.8% |
| 2024 | 629 | 15.9% |
| 2025 | 637 | 16.8% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Cherokee
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 6.6% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (6.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- 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.
- Visibility (3.5% 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 Jeep Cherokees pass their MOT?
85.3% of the 3,175 2017 Jeep Cherokee MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Jeep Cherokee?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.6% of tests, followed by tyres (4.5%).
Does the 2017 Cherokee get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.2% in the 0-30k band to 20.3% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,175 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.