2017 Volkswagen Touareg — MOT failures & pass rate
19,214 MOT tests on the 2017 Volkswagen Touareg are in this dataset, and 84.9% of them passed. Large SUVs of a similar age fail 11.4% of the time, so this is 3.7pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.3% of tests against 4.7% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are rear fog lamp, coil spring and tread depth — rear fog lamp alone was recorded 1,262 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 20.7% once past 150k — 2.9× the risk.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 19.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 10.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 17.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.3% | 1,590 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.7% | 894 |
| 3 | Suspension | 2.6% | 508 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.2% | 421 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.9% | 371 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.4% | 269 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rear fog lamp | 1,262 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 607 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 465 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 370 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 352 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 295 |
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 | 19.2% | 3,685 |
| 2 | Brakes | 15.2% | 2,913 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.9% | 1,133 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.5% | 486 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.4% | 267 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.4% | 265 |
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 | 1,857 | 7.1% |
| 30-60k | 9,598 | 14.0% |
| 60-90k | 6,135 | 18.1% |
| 90-120k | 1,361 | 18.4% |
| 120-150k | 203 | 24.1% |
| 150k+ | 58 | 20.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,740 | 10.8% |
| 2022 | 3,775 | 12.9% |
| 2023 | 3,861 | 16.1% |
| 2024 | 3,936 | 17.7% |
| 2025 | 3,902 | 17.7% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Touareg
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 8.3% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (8.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (4.7% 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.
- Suspension (2.6% 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.
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 Touaregs pass their MOT?
84.9% of the 19,214 2017 Volkswagen Touareg MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Volkswagen Touareg?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.3% of tests, followed by tyres (4.7%).
Does the 2017 Touareg get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.1% in the 0-30k band to 20.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 19,214 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.