Used car guide

2017 Ford Fiesta: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2017 Ford Fiestas, from 89,566 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

89,566MOT tests in 2025
75%pass first time (all 2017 cars: 78%)
6,200typical miles a year
19.3×the usual rate for swivel pins and bushes

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2017 Ford Fiestas than on all cars registered in 2017.

  • Swivel pins and bushes19.3× usual
    Ford Fiesta
    5.8% All 2017 cars
    0.3%
    Rough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Stop lamp4.5× usual
    Ford Fiesta
    5.8% All 2017 cars
    1.3%
    Rough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

  • Anti-roll bar link joints3.5× usual
    Ford Fiesta
    2.8% All 2017 cars
    0.8%
    Rough price £50–£150

    At the viewing: Drive slowly over bumps and listen for a knock or rattle from the front. Worn anti-roll bar links are a cheap fix.

  • Track rod end1.8× usual
    Ford Fiesta
    3.6% All 2017 cars
    2%
    Rough price £80–£450

    At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.

  • Coil springs1.5× usual
    Ford Fiesta
    4.4% All 2017 cars
    2.9%
    Rough price £120–£300

    At the viewing: Look behind each wheel for a snapped spring coil, and listen for a clunk or twang when turning the wheel lock to lock with the car stopped.

Better than most

Suspension arm bushes and joints: 1.8% here, against 4.8% of all 2017 cars.

By area

The share of 2017 Ford Fiesta MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    31% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Suspension
    22% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Brakes
    17% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Lights and electrics
    15% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    5% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Exhaust and emissions
    4% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

    At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for engine or DPF warning lights.

Known faults

Reported by owners, mechanics and buying guides for this model and age. Check which engine the car has, as some apply to one engine only.

  • Timing belt that runs in oil (1.0 EcoBoost)
    1.0 EcoBoost petrol

    The 1.0 EcoBoost’s timing belt sits in the engine oil. If oil changes are missed or the wrong oil is used, the belt can break down and shed bits that block the oil pickup, which can wreck the engine.

    At the viewing: Ask for a full service history with regular oil changes, and whether the timing belt has been changed when Ford says it’s due.

    Source: Bumper: Ford Fiesta reliability guide

  • PowerShift automatic gearbox
    Automatic versions only

    Automatic Fiestas with the PowerShift gearbox can give jerky changes, hesitate, or in bad cases lose drive. Repairs can be expensive.

    At the viewing: If it’s an automatic, pull away gently from a standstill several times and drive in slow traffic. Any judder, clunk or hesitation is a warning sign.

    Source: Bumper: Ford Fiesta reliability guide

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20227,649Tyres 21%
202020,223Tyres 30%
201973,694Tyres 31%
201892,914Tyres 31%
2016112,880Suspension 34%
2015123,631Suspension 37%
2014120,169Suspension 42%
2013109,733Suspension 47%
201295,802Suspension 49%
201181,013Suspension 48%
201081,330Suspension 49%
200984,681Suspension 51%
200848,771Suspension 47%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2017 Ford Fiestas registered in 2017. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score