2017 Vauxhall Mokka — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2017 Vauxhall Mokka passed 85.0% of its 213,995 recorded MOT tests. Against small SUVs of a similar age (12.0% fail rate), the 2017 Mokka comes out 3.0pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (6.6%) and lighting & signalling (5.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint dust cover, wipers and coil spring — ball joint dust cover alone was recorded 11,543 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 7.0% in the 0-30k band and 25.5% in the 150k+ band, a 18.5-point spread — more than double.
The petrol cars hold up better: 14.6% fail against 16.9% for diesel, a 2.3-point gap across 213,995 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 23.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 6.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 6.6% | 14,203 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.5% | 11,884 |
| 3 | Tyres | 3.7% | 7,981 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.5% | 7,412 |
| 5 | Brakes | 3.2% | 6,898 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.4% | 5,026 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball joint dust cover | 11,543 |
| 2 | Wipers | 6,442 |
| 3 | Coil spring | 6,162 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 5,635 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 4,561 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 4,241 |
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 | 23.9% | 51,086 |
| 2 | Brakes | 14.6% | 31,349 |
| 3 | Other defects | 8.6% | 18,386 |
| 4 | Suspension | 6.7% | 14,340 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.7% | 12,280 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.4% | 9,443 |
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 | 60,277 | 7.0% |
| 30-60k | 110,129 | 15.9% |
| 60-90k | 36,908 | 23.2% |
| 90-120k | 5,753 | 26.6% |
| 120-150k | 771 | 27.4% |
| 150k+ | 149 | 25.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 178,043 | 14.6% |
| Diesel | 35,952 | 16.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 39,423 | 6.8% |
| 2022 | 40,983 | 10.9% |
| 2023 | 43,138 | 15.3% |
| 2024 | 44,361 | 18.7% |
| 2025 | 46,090 | 21.7% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Mokka
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 6.6% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (6.6% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (5.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (3.7% 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.
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 Mokkas pass their MOT?
85.0% of the 213,995 2017 Vauxhall Mokka MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Vauxhall Mokka?
Suspension, recorded in 6.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (5.5%).
Does the 2017 Mokka get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.0% in the 0-30k band to 25.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 213,995 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.