2017 Vauxhall Astra — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 263,114 MOT tests analysed for the 2017 Vauxhall Astra, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes. Its pass rate of 87.8% was in line with the average for small family cars of a similar age (88.1%). Higher-mileage examples failed more often — 21.1% in the 150k+ group versus 6.7% in the 0-30k group.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.8% | 15,355 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.3% | 13,871 |
| 3 | Brakes | 3.8% | 9,973 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.4% | 6,416 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.2% | 3,270 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.2% | 3,066 |
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 | 9,461 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 6,083 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 5,497 |
| 4 | Washers | 5,116 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 4,796 |
| 6 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 4,290 |
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 | 25.7% | 67,571 |
| 2 | Brakes | 20.5% | 53,848 |
| 3 | Other defects | 8.1% | 21,169 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 2.7% | 7,027 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.3% | 6,061 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 2.1% | 5,393 |
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 | 51,782 | 6.7% |
| 30-60k | 124,273 | 11.8% |
| 60-90k | 62,277 | 15.3% |
| 90-120k | 17,879 | 17.7% |
| 120-150k | 4,808 | 19.2% |
| 150k+ | 2,055 | 21.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 176,911 | 11.2% |
| Diesel | 86,203 | 14.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 52,209 | 9.5% |
| 2022 | 52,605 | 11.0% |
| 2023 | 52,812 | 12.5% |
| 2024 | 52,743 | 13.5% |
| 2025 | 52,745 | 14.7% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Astra
Before buying a 2017 Vauxhall Astra, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Tyres accounted for 5.8% of tests for this year.
- 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.
- Lighting & signalling (5.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (3.8% 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.
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 Vauxhall Astras pass their MOT?
87.8% of the 263,114 2017 Vauxhall Astra MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Vauxhall Astra?
Tyres, recorded in 5.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (5.3%).
Does the 2017 Astra get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.7% in the 0-30k band to 21.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 263,114 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.