2017 Volkswagen Amarok — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 12,792 MOT tests, the 2017 Volkswagen Amarok recorded an 86.0% pass rate. Pick-up trucks of a similar age fail 15.8% of the time, so this is 1.8pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in brakes, emissions & environmental and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (7.0%) and emissions & environmental (4.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are malfunction indicator lamp, rbt (sp) and brake pads — malfunction indicator lamp alone was recorded 524 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 18.3% versus 7.3%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 14.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 10.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 15.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 7.0% | 892 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 4.4% | 566 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 4.2% | 535 |
| 4 | Tyres | 2.3% | 297 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.1% | 268 |
| 6 | Steering | 1.8% | 230 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 524 |
| 2 | Rbt (sp) | 346 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 323 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 271 |
| 5 | Parking brake performance | 219 |
| 6 | Steering rack | 200 |
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 | 14.8% | 1,892 |
| 2 | Brakes | 13.6% | 1,738 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 8.2% | 1,051 |
| 4 | Suspension | 8.1% | 1,034 |
| 5 | Other defects | 5.6% | 722 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.8% | 610 |
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 | 685 | 7.3% |
| 30-60k | 3,968 | 10.6% |
| 60-90k | 4,306 | 15.2% |
| 90-120k | 2,370 | 16.8% |
| 120-150k | 972 | 18.8% |
| 150k+ | 491 | 18.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,588 | 10.6% |
| 2022 | 2,573 | 12.9% |
| 2023 | 2,638 | 15.0% |
| 2024 | 2,574 | 16.2% |
| 2025 | 2,419 | 15.6% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Amarok
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 7.0% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (7.0% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (4.4% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Lighting & signalling (4.2% 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 Volkswagen Amaroks pass their MOT?
86.0% of the 12,792 2017 Volkswagen Amarok MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Volkswagen Amarok?
Brakes, recorded in 7.0% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (4.4%).
Does the 2017 Amarok get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.3% in the 0-30k band to 18.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 12,792 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.