2025 MOT results
Ford Galaxy common problems
The most common reason a Ford Galaxy fails its MOT is a sidelight out, on 20.5% of its 19,614 failed tests in 2025. Against other cars of the same age, 5 faults stand out, the widest gaps being: a sidelight out at 20.5% of failures against 9.4% expected; a number plate lamp out at 6.8% of failures against 3.7% expected; a split joint boot at 8.6% of failures against 4.8% expected.
- Tests in 2025 55,001 Cars aged three and over
- Failed first time 35.7% 19,614 tests
- Found a dangerous defect 10.5% Unsafe to drive away
- Ended with an advisory 62.2% A problem to watch, not a failure
What fails a Ford Galaxy MOT
Each bar is the share of failed Ford Galaxy tests with that defect. Where we can compare it with cars of the same registration years, the marker shows what an average car of those ages records (12 of the 12 items below).
Most common reasons for failure
A test can fail for more than one defect, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Defect | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Position lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 20.5% |
| Stop lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 11.2% |
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 8.9% |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick Brakes | 8.8% |
| Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Body, chassis, structure | 8.6% |
| Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres | 7.4% |
| Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 6.8% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush excessively worn Suspension | 6.7% |
| Headlamp: not working on dipped beam Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 5.9% |
| Linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Suspension | 5.1% |
| Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 4.5% |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction Noise, emissions and leaks | 4.4% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
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Sidelight out
20.5% of failures 9.4% expected 2.2 times as often
A sidelight, also called a position lamp, not working. It marks the width of the car at night.
Walk round the car with the lights on and the hazards going; these are the cheapest failures to avoid.
-
Brake light out
11.2% of failures 6.9% expected 1.6 times as often
A brake light not working, from a bulb, a poor earth, or the switch on the pedal.
Reverse up to a wall or window at dusk and press the pedal to see all three lamps light.
-
Tyre worn below the legal limit
8.9% of failures 8.0% expected about as expected
A tyre worn past the 1.6mm legal minimum across the middle three quarters of the tread.
A 20p coin in the main grooves: if the outer band of the coin is visible, the tyre is close to the limit.
-
Worn brake pads
8.8% of failures 6.1% expected somewhat more often
Friction material worn under 1.5mm, thinner than the point most manufacturers call the limit.
Look through the wheel spokes at the pad against the disc; wear indicators squeal before they get this far.
-
Split joint boot
8.6% of failures 4.8% expected 1.8 times as often
A split rubber boot on a joint or driveshaft. The joint may still be sound, but dirt and water get in once the boot is open.
Turn the wheels to full lock and look behind them for greasy splits in the rubber concertina.
-
Tyre worn through to the cords
7.4% of failures 4.9% expected 1.5 times as often
The tyre is worn or damaged far enough to expose the cords underneath, which is a dangerous defect.
Run a hand round the inner and outer walls of each tyre, which is where kerbing shows.
Which parts of the car fail
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment is the area that most often fails a Ford Galaxy, on 52.5% of failed tests. That is also where it differs most from cars of the same registration years, which record 39.1%.
Failure categories
DVSA's own sections of the test. The marker is what cars of the same registration years record.
| Defect category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 52.5% |
| Suspension | 28.7% |
| Tyres | 24.4% |
| Brakes | 20.4% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 17.4% |
| Visibility | 12.1% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 10.2% |
| Steering | 8.5% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What testers warn about
62.2% of Ford Galaxy tests ended with at least one advisory: a fault the tester found that did not fail the test. On Ford Galaxys, these are the items to ask about on a car you are viewing, because they are what the last tester expected to go next.
Most common advisories
Share of all tests, passes included.
| Advisory | Share of tests |
|---|---|
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres | 25.9% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 12.6% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 11.3% |
| Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks | 9.4% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension | 9.4% |
| Coil spring: corroded Suspension | 7.2% |
| Suspension arm: corroded but not seriously weakened Suspension | 6.0% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 5.6% |
| Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened Suspension | 4.9% |
| Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread Identification of the vehicle | 4.9% |
| Shock absorbers: light misting of oil Suspension | 3.8% |
| Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt Non-component advisories | 3.1% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What changes as a Ford Galaxy gets older
A 2019 Ford Galaxy failed 22.3% of its MOT tests in 2025; a 2007 one failed 46.0%. What fails changes as much as how often, and these are the two years themselves rather than an average across them.
2019 Ford Galaxy 22.3% failed, from 2,588 tests
- Headlamp out 30.2%
- Worn brake pads 13.0%
- Wiper blades that do not clear the screen 11.1%
- Engine management light on 10.8%
- Tyre worn below the legal limit 10.2%
- Headlamp aim out of line 6.6%
2007 Ford Galaxy 46.0% failed, from 2,554 tests
- Sidelight out 18.2%
- Suspension fault 16.3%
- Brake light out 14.9%
- Headlamp aim out of line 10.7%
- Exhaust leak 10.3%
- Split joint boot 9.6%
Shares are of each year's failed tests. Every MOT a particular car has had, with the defects and advisories written at each test, is on GOV.UK's MOT history service from the registration, free.
Ford Galaxy problems: common questions
What is the most common problem with a Ford Galaxy?
Of the faults that fail an MOT, “Position lamp: not working” is the most common: it appears on 20.5% of failed Ford Galaxy tests. Across categories, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment is the area that most often fails one, on 52.5% of failed tests.
How often does a Ford Galaxy fail its MOT?
35.7% of Ford Galaxy tests in 2025 were not passed first time, from 55,001 tests of cars aged three and over. Allowing for the age and mileage of the cars tested, that gives it a UK Motoring Reliability Score of 43 out of 100, where 50 is as expected.
Does anything fail more often on a Ford Galaxy than on other cars?
Yes. “Position lamp: not working” appears on 20.5% of its failures against 9.4% for cars of the same age, and “Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps” appears on 6.8% of its failures against 3.7% for cars of the same age. Where an item is missing from the national figures for a year, we use the smallest share those figures show, so the comparison never overstates the difference.
Are these the same as breakdowns or known faults?
No. These are the items a tester recorded at the MOT, which covers condition and safety: lamps, brakes, tyres, suspension, corrosion and emissions. A gearbox that is unpleasant, an infotainment screen that has died, or a car that will not start on a cold morning are not part of the test, so they are not in these figures.
Where do the figures come from?
Every normal MOT test of a Ford Galaxy aged three and over in Great Britain in 2025, from DVSA's anonymised MOT results. Retests are excluded, and the same fault on more than one wheel counts once.
Data stories to read next
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOT defects and advisories | Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency Derived statistics UK Motoring | 2025 | 55,001 MOT tests | 19 September 2026 |
- Shares for defects are of failed tests; shares for advisories are of all tests. A test can carry several defects, so shares add to more than 100%.
- The expected share is what an average car of the same registration years records, weighted by where this model’s failures fall. Where an item is outside the national figures for a year, the smallest share those figures show is used in its place, which is an upper bound, so the comparison never overstates a model’s problems. No expectation is published where less than 80% of the model’s failures can be compared.
- Great Britain only: DVSA does not run MOT testing in Northern Ireland. Cars under three years old are not tested.
- The descriptions of what each part does are general and the same on every model. Every figure comes from the MOT data.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.