Model Reports 8 min read Updated 11 Sep 2026 DVSA open data · 4,679 tests analysed

Toyota Hilux 2017: reliability & common MOT faults

1,164 first-attempt MOT failures were recorded on the 2017 Toyota Hilux in 2025. The items recorded most often on them were Registration plate lamp(s) and Brake pads (front). Figures are among first-attempt failed MOT tests, not among all tests.

2017 Hilux break the Hilux's own run — at 75.1% they land 2.7 pp above the midpoint of the 2016 and 2018 cars either side.

First-attempt pass

75.1%

of 4,679 first tests (2025)

First tests

4,679

test year 2025

Failed first attempts

1,164

failed first-attempt tests

Most common fail

10.4%

Registration plate lamp(s)

MOT pass rates

First-attempt and official-style rates among class 4 first tests of the year.

First-attempt pass

75.1%

of 4,679 first tests (2025)

Official-style pass

80.7%

incl. same-day PRS fixes

First tests

4,679

class 4 · first MOT of the year

Typical age 8.0 yrs · median mileage 85,502 mi

vs 2024: -2.5 pp first-attempt

Note:

  • Class 4 cars · first MOT of the year per vehicle · P/PRS/F outcomes (2025 data).
  • PRS (fixed at the station the same day) counts as a fail in the first-attempt rate.
  • Raw outcomes for this cohort — not adjusted for age, mileage, or peer mix.
  • MOT doesn't test engine or gearbox internals.

Common faults

Failure patterns that show up more often on this registration year than on similar cars.

These MOT failure patterns show up more often on this registration year than on similar cars of the same class, age, and mileage.

Shares below are measured across the 1,161 of 1,164 failed first attempts (99.7%) that recorded an odometer reading in 2025 — the subset the age-and-mileage comparison can be computed on.

Standout: Leaf spring (rear) — 10.0% of this year's failed first attempts

Recorded on 116 of those tests. It tops the table on elevation — about 111× more often than on similar cars of the same age and mileage. That is what makes it unusual for its class, which is a different question from what is most likely to fail; the buying checklist ranks by that. The full ranked list is in the table below.

Fault pattern Location Failures vs similar cars Share of fails Confidence
Leaf spring (rear)
Suspension > Springs > Leaf springs > Leaf spring
 Rear 116 ×111 10.0% Strong
Hand lever
Brakes > Service brake pedal or hand lever > Hand lever
 Any 24 ×6.2 2.1% Possible
Parking brake control — Lever
Brakes > Parking brake control > Lever
 Any 32 ×4.6 2.8% Likely
Rear fog lamp (rear)
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Front and rear fog lamps > Rear fog lamp > Rear fog lamp
 Rear 34 ×3.5 2.9% Likely
Registration plate lamp(s) (rear)
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Registration plate lamp(s)
 Rear 121 ×3.3 10.4% Likely
Rbt (sp)
Brakes > Brake performance > Parking brake efficiency (sp) > Rbt (sp)
 Any 105 ×3.2 9.0% Likely
Service brake performance (front)
Brakes > Brake performance > Service brake performance > Rbt > Service brake performance
 Front 30 ×2.8 2.6% Possible
Service brake performance (rear)
Brakes > Brake performance > Service brake performance > Rbt > Service brake performance
 Rear 40 ×2.7 3.4% Possible

Only patterns that clear minimum sample and elevation thresholds are shown (at least 20 failures and about 2.0× more often than similar cars).

Note: Rates and comparisons are among first-attempt failed tests, not all MOTs. Patterns come from MOT defect codes — not manufacturer service bulletins, recalls, or a diagnosis of any individual car. Failures and advisories are listed separately.

Wear patterns

Usage and mileage effects that often track road use rather than model design.

These patterns look like wear or usage effects rather than model-specific design faults. Tyres, brake friction material, and alignment-related defects often track mileage and road use.

Pattern Location Failures vs similar cars Share of fails Confidence
Brake pads (front)
Brakes > Mechanical brake components > Brake linings and pads > Brake pads
 Front 120 ×2.2 10.3% Wear
Note: These patterns are not treated as a model design fault in our common-faults ranking.

Advisories

Notes recorded at the test that appear more often than on similar cars.

Advisory notes recorded on failed first-attempt tests that appear more often than on similar cars.

Advisory pattern Location Notes vs similar cars Share Confidence
Chassis condition (rear)
Body, chassis, structure > Chassis > Chassis condition
 Rear 49 ×57 4.2% Elevated
Component mounting prescribed areas (rear)
Suspension > Component mounting prescribed areas
 Rear 26 ×46 2.2% Likely
Transmission oil leaks (rear)
Noise, emissions and leaks > Fluid leaks > Transmission oil leaks
 Rear 26 ×23 2.2% Elevated
Shock absorbers (rear)
Suspension > Shock absorbers
 Rear 74 ×2.9 6.4% Elevated
Service brake performance (front)
Brakes > Brake performance > Service brake performance > Rbt > Service brake performance
 Front 25 ×2.1 2.2% Possible
Note: Advisories are not a fail rate — they flag issues noted at the test, often before they become failures.

If you are buying one

What this year's MOT record means for the decision in front of you.

This year outperforms the Hilux's own age curve — it holds up better than its place in the model's run would predict.

What to check on a 2017 Hilux

The items that failed 2017 Hilux most often, as a share of the year's failed first attempts. This is what goes wrong, not what is unusual — the table further up the page covers that.

  • Registration plate lamp(s) — recorded on 10.4% of failed first attempts
  • Brake pads (front) — recorded on 10.3% of failed first attempts
  • Leaf spring (rear) — recorded on 10.0% of failed first attempts
  • Rbt (sp) — recorded on 9.0% of failed first attempts
  • Coil spring (front) — recorded on 6.5% of failed first attempts

Every figure here is a first-attempt MOT rate from DVSA open data for this model line. MOTs do not test engine or gearbox internals, so this is a pre-purchase checklist, not a full reliability score.

FAQs

Short answers about how to read this model-year guide.

2017 Hilux break the Hilux's own run — at 75.1% they land 2.7 pp above the midpoint of the 2016 and 2018 cars either side. In 2025, 75.1% of 4,679 first MOTs on the 2017 Toyota Hilux passed first time (PRS — items fixed at the station the same day — counted as a fail). The official-style rate including PRS is 80.7%. Among 1,164 failed first-attempt MOT tests (test year 2025), Leaf spring (rear) appears more often th…
Ranked by how often they were actually recorded, the items that failed 2017 Toyota Hiluxs most often at the first attempt were Registration plate lamp(s) (10.4%), Brake pads (front) (10.3%) and Leaf spring (rear) (10.0%) — each as a share of the year's failed first attempts. That is what goes wrong on the car. It is a different question from which patterns are unusual for the class, which the common-faults table ans…
Among failed first-attempt tests we highlight patterns that appear more often than on similar cars. Top example: Leaf spring (rear) (10.0% of those tests; 116 observed failures; about 111× more often than similar cars). These are statistical signals, not a diagnosis of any individual car.
Leaf spring (rear) shows up more often than on similar cars (10.0% of those tests; 116 observed failures; about 111× more often than similar cars). That does not prove a design fault — age, mileage, and how the car was used still matter. Treat it as a pre-purchase check point, not a manufacturer service bulletin.
Common MOT problem areas for the 2017 Toyota Hilux include Leaf spring (rear), Hand lever, Parking brake control — Lever. These patterns show up more often than on similar cars after we filter out sparse noise — not a full list of every possible fault on an individual car.
Advisories flag issues noted at the test and are not a fail rate. We show advisory patterns that appear more often than on similar cars among failed first-attempt tests, separate from common failure rows. Use them as early-warning checks, not as a pass/fail score.
This page highlights MOT failure patterns for the 2017 Toyota Hilux (registration year) using UK DVSA open data for the selected test year. Patterns are compared with cars of a similar age and mileage. It is a buyer checklist from MOT defect statistics — not a full service history or manufacturer service-bulletin list.
No. MOT tests do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronic modules. Patterns here come from MOT defect statistics only and should not be read as engine or gearbox reliability scores.

About this data

How this page is built and what it can (and can't) say.

These figures come from UK MOT open data for this model year. We surface common failure patterns against similar cars — not a full reliability score, and not a pass/fail verdict on any individual vehicle.

2024 2025

What we include

UK Class 4 cars only. Normal MOT tests (not retests); first test per vehicle per calendar year; results pass, PRS, or fail.

Same-day repairs

PRS means the car failed items that were fixed at the test station and then passed the same day. We count PRS as a first-attempt fail in headline rates so same-day repairs do not hide problems.

How we compare

We compare this model year with other Class 4 cars of similar age and mileage in the same test year. This model family is left out of the peer group so the car is not measured against itself.

What this does not cover

  • MOTs do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronics — this is not a full reliability score.
  • Common faults come from MOT defect stats, not manufacturer TSBs or recalls.
  • Age and mileage matching reduces — but does not remove — differences in how cars were used and maintained.
  • We never invent pass rates, star scores, or ranks when those data marts are missing.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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