2017 Vauxhall Insignia — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2017 Vauxhall Insignia passed 84.6% of its 92,110 recorded MOT tests. Large family cars of a similar age fail 13.7% of the time, so this is 1.8pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, brakes and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (6.3%) 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, tread depth and wipers — brake pads alone was recorded 3,619 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 10.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 18.9% once past 150k.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.8pp more often than petrol ones (16.2% vs 12.4%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 25.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 13.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 16.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 6.3% | 5,800 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.3% | 3,960 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 4.1% | 3,745 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.5% | 3,234 |
| 5 | Suspension | 3.2% | 2,981 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.7% | 2,528 |
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 | 3,619 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 3,340 |
| 3 | Wipers | 3,109 |
| 4 | Coil spring | 2,478 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 2,078 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 2,068 |
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 | 25.0% | 23,015 |
| 2 | Brakes | 18.6% | 17,151 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.5% | 6,920 |
| 4 | Suspension | 5.6% | 5,177 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.0% | 3,639 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.7% | 3,384 |
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 | 9,198 | 10.0% |
| 30-60k | 36,247 | 14.2% |
| 60-90k | 29,463 | 16.9% |
| 90-120k | 11,885 | 18.3% |
| 120-150k | 3,594 | 18.0% |
| 150k+ | 1,689 | 18.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 72,956 | 16.2% |
| Petrol | 19,154 | 12.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 18,605 | 13.3% |
| 2022 | 18,541 | 14.8% |
| 2023 | 18,585 | 15.9% |
| 2024 | 18,376 | 16.3% |
| 2025 | 18,003 | 16.9% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Insignia
On a 2017 Insignia, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 6.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (6.3% 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 Vauxhall Insignias pass their MOT?
84.6% of the 92,110 2017 Vauxhall Insignia MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Vauxhall Insignia?
Tyres, recorded in 6.3% of tests, followed by brakes (4.3%).
Does the 2017 Insignia get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.0% in the 0-30k band to 18.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 92,110 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.