Pass rate, every year
76.8% Around average
225,566 tests across 24 model years, 2000–2023.
−4.2 pts vs the national average
Ford Galaxy MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics
Check your postcode
Best year to buy
2023 91.9%
The strongest of the 24 years on record. See the 2023 page →
Worst year to buy
2004 66.2%
25.7 points below the 2023 peak. See the 2004 page →
The Ford Galaxy MOT pass rate is 76.8%, −4.2 percentage points below the UK average. That is 225,566 DVSA MOT tests recorded between 2000 and 2023. This page lists the most common Ford Galaxy MOT failures by category, names the best and worst model years, and finishes with a pre-MOT checklist you can run at home.
Ford Galaxy MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average
The Ford Galaxy passed on its first attempt in 70.9%, and its overall record sits −4.2 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Ford Galaxy in the 2023–2025 data: 225,566 tests across 24 model years (2000–2023). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.
| Measure | This model |
|---|---|
| Tests analysed | 225,566 |
| Overall pass rate | 76.8% |
| Passed on first attempt | 70.9% |
| Average mileage at test | 108,686 mi |
| Model years covered | 2000–2023 (24 years) |
| Versus UK national average | −4.2 pts below |
Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.
Most Common Ford Galaxy MOT Problems by Failure Category
Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Ford Galaxy, the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.
| Inspection section | Share of failures |
|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 50% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 15% |
| Suspension | 14% |
| Visibility | 13% |
| Tyres | 4% |
| Brakes | 2% |
| Steering | 1% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0% |
Shares are over the Ford Galaxy's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Around 50% of the recorded Ford Galaxy failures fall in the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (6.4%), "Position lamp not working" (5.3%), "Position lamp with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning" (2.2%) among the Ford Galaxy's lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment faults.
Body, chassis, structure
Around 15% of the recorded Ford Galaxy failures fall in the Body, chassis, structure section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated" (2.7%), "Joints constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" (2.1%), "Exhaust system has a major leak of exhaust gases" (0.5%) among the Ford Galaxy's body, chassis, structure faults.
Suspension
Around 14% of the recorded Ford Galaxy failures fall in the Suspension section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn" (2.1%), "Ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (1.1%), "Linkage ball joint dust cover ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (0.6%) among the Ford Galaxy's suspension faults.
Top Recorded Ford Galaxy DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions
The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Ford Galaxy, each with how many of the model's 225,566 tests it was noted on.
- "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (Minor) — noted on about 14,470 Ford Galaxy tests, 6.4% of the model's MOT record.
- "Position lamp not working" (Rectified) — noted on about 12,015 Ford Galaxy tests, 5.3% of the model's MOT record.
- "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 8,745 Ford Galaxy tests, 3.9% of the model's MOT record.
- "Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 6,109 Ford Galaxy tests, 2.7% of the model's MOT record.
- "Position lamp with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning" (Minor) — noted on about 4,979 Ford Galaxy tests, 2.2% of the model's MOT record.
- "Pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn" (Major) — noted on about 4,793 Ford Galaxy tests, 2.1% of the model's MOT record.
What Galaxy fails on more than most
3 failure items are recorded at least 1.5 times the UK rate on this model.
| Failure item | This model | UK | × UK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position lamp partly not working | 2.4% | 0.3% | 8.0× | £5–£25 |
| Suspension arm corroded | 5.7% | 1.4% | 4.1× | £35–£85 |
| Position lamp not working | 6.0% | 2.1% | 2.9× | £5–£25 |
Rates are a share of this model's own tests (225,566 for the top row), so a big seller cannot outrank a rare one. The UK figure is the same item's share of every test in our data. Items Galaxy records at or below the UK rate are not listed — this is where it is unusual, not a full inventory. All failure items · parts and costs
Best and Worst Ford Galaxy Model Years by Pass Rate
The strongest Ford Galaxy model year on record is 2023 (91.9% across 295 tests), and the weakest is 2004 (66.2%). The gap between them is 25.7 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 Galaxy | 295 | 91.9% |
| 2022 Galaxy | 1,396 | 88.3% |
| 2021 Galaxy | 3,349 | 84.1% |
| 2020 Galaxy | 5,563 | 87.6% |
| 2019 Galaxy | 9,014 | 86.6% |
| 2018 Galaxy | 12,040 | 87.4% |
| 2017 Galaxy | 18,023 | 86.5% |
| 2016 Galaxy | 16,603 | 86.2% |
| 2015 Galaxy | 9,746 | 78.4% |
| 2014 Galaxy | 17,498 | 74.6% |
| 2013 Galaxy | 15,642 | 74.7% |
| 2012 Galaxy | 17,821 | 73.7% |
| 2011 Galaxy | 17,613 | 73.2% |
| 2010 Galaxy | 16,717 | 73.5% |
| 2009 Galaxy | 15,284 | 72.9% |
| 2008 Galaxy | 13,846 | 71.7% |
| 2007 Galaxy | 13,199 | 70.5% |
| 2006 Galaxy | 7,071 | 68.5% |
| 2005 Galaxy | 5,750 | 67.0% |
| 2004 Galaxy | 3,572 | 66.2% |
| 2003 Galaxy | 2,931 | 68.0% |
| 2002 Galaxy | 1,408 | 68.8% |
| 2001 Galaxy | 893 | 68.3% |
| 2000 Galaxy | 292 | 68.8% |
Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.
Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Ford Galaxy Owners
These checks follow this Ford Galaxy's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Ford Galaxy.
-
the lights — “registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources”
Switch everything on and walk round the car: both headlamps on dip and main, every indicator, both brake lights, reverse, fog and the two number-plate lamps. A bulb is a few pounds and a five-minute job.
-
the windscreen — “windscreen damaged”
Check the driver’s side of the screen within the swept area for chips and cracks; anything larger than 10mm in the driver’s central view is a fail. Most chips can be resin-repaired for far less than a new screen.
-
the suspension joints — “pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn”
With the car parked on level ground, rock the top of each front wheel in and out while someone watches the suspension arm. Clunks, or rubber boots split and greasy, are what testers record here.
Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Ford Galaxy. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.
Where the Ford Galaxy is most common
Across every Galaxy model year on record (2000–2023): 89,658 Ford Galaxy cars tested in a recordable postcode area, across 225,557 tests. Birmingham (B) has the most, with 3,122 cars tested there. Cars are counted by the postcode area of the MOT station, so this is where they were tested, not necessarily where their owners live.
| # | Postcode area | Cars | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Birmingham (B) | 3,122 | 81.4% |
| 2 | Peterborough (PE) | 2,205 | 77.0% |
| 3 | Leicester (LE) | 1,999 | 79.2% |
| 4 | Sheffield (S) | 1,716 | 78.4% |
| 5 | Reading (RG) | 1,689 | 77.0% |
| 6 | Bristol (BS) | 1,639 | 71.1% |
| 7 | Nottingham (NG) | 1,588 | 74.2% |
| 8 | Ipswich (IP) | 1,459 | 75.1% |
| 9 | Chelmsford (CM) | 1,444 | 79.3% |
| 10 | Coventry (CV) | 1,437 | 78.9% |
| 11 | Liverpool (L) | 1,412 | 78.7% |
| 12 | Cardiff (CF) | 1,326 | 73.5% |
| 13 | Gloucester (GL) | 1,301 | 71.6% |
| 14 | Northampton (NN) | 1,297 | 76.5% |
| 15 | Southampton (SO) | 1,290 | 74.7% |
| 16 | Romford (RM) | 1,275 | 87.1% |
| 17 | Norwich (NR) | 1,266 | 75.3% |
| 18 | Oxford (OX) | 1,264 | 76.1% |
| 19 | London (E) | 1,245 | 90.2% |
| 20 | Basildon (SS) | 1,225 | 80.2% |
The twenty areas with the most Ford Galaxy cars in the record, sorted by car count — sort the columns for a different question. Cars tested at a station whose postcode area could not be resolved are counted in the model's total but in no area, so the shares add up to slightly under 100% even across every area, and an area's cars are a subset of the model's. Pass rate is blank below 30 tests in an area, where a percentage is noise rather than a finding. How this model's pass rate varies by postcode →
Frequently Asked Questions: Ford Galaxy MOT & Reliability
What is the Ford Galaxy MOT pass rate?
76.8% of the 225,566 recorded Ford Galaxy MOT tests ended in a pass, −4.2 percentage points below the national average. 70.9% of those passed on the first attempt.
Which Ford Galaxy model years pass the MOT most often?
2023 is the strongest Ford Galaxy year on record at 91.9%, while 2004 is the weakest at 66.2%. The year-by-year table below lists every model year with at least 50 recorded tests.
What are the most common Ford Galaxy MOT failures?
The most recorded Ford Galaxy failures are "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" and "Position lamp not working" — together around 12% of tests, mostly in the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section.