2017 Peugeot 308 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2017 Peugeot 308 passed 85.0% of its 53,660 recorded MOT tests. Against small family cars of a similar age (11.9% fail rate), the 2017 308 comes out 3.0pp worse. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (6.2%) and lighting & signalling (4.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, brake pads and registration plate lamp(s) — tread depth alone was recorded 2,024 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 24.6% once past 150k — 3.2× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 13.6% fail against 16.1% for diesel, a 2.6-point gap across 53,640 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 25.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 10.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 19.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 6.2% | 3,306 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 4.8% | 2,594 |
| 3 | Suspension | 4.4% | 2,352 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.3% | 1,743 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.2% | 1,161 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.8% | 948 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 2,024 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 1,316 |
| 3 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 1,204 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 1,117 |
| 5 | Linkage ball joints | 970 |
| 6 | Coil spring | 745 |
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 | 25.4% | 13,604 |
| 2 | Brakes | 20.3% | 10,869 |
| 3 | Suspension | 10.2% | 5,491 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.0% | 3,754 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 5.8% | 3,086 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.2% | 2,232 |
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 | 9,135 | 7.8% |
| 30-60k | 24,670 | 13.6% |
| 60-90k | 12,944 | 19.1% |
| 90-120k | 4,580 | 20.9% |
| 120-150k | 1,617 | 22.4% |
| 150k+ | 710 | 24.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 29,789 | 16.1% |
| Petrol | 23,851 | 13.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 10,336 | 10.2% |
| 2022 | 10,556 | 12.8% |
| 2023 | 10,820 | 15.0% |
| 2024 | 10,976 | 17.3% |
| 2025 | 10,972 | 19.2% |
What to check before buying a 2017 308
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 6.2% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (6.2% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (4.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- 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 Peugeot 308s pass their MOT?
85.0% of the 53,660 2017 Peugeot 308 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Peugeot 308?
Tyres, recorded in 6.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (4.8%).
Does the 2017 308 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.8% in the 0-30k band to 24.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 53,660 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.