Know Your MOT
27.6%fail rate

Mazda Demi common MOT failures and failure rate

What a Mazda Demi fails its MOT on, from real DVSA test data, and the part that resolves each item.

Based on 76 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 27.6% of MOT tests recorded on the Mazda Demi in DVSA data end in a failure. The same handful of items account for most of them.

Its most common failure is suspension, which makes up 42.9% of the Mazda Demi's failures, followed by suspension, lamps & electrical, brakes, other. Each item below links to the part that resolves it. Confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying, and have safety-critical work done by a competent mechanic.

What it fails on, and why

Suspension42.9% of failures

Suspension failures usually mean a worn or snapped coil spring, a leaking shock absorber, or play in a lower arm ball joint or bush. The tester checks for corrosion, fractures and excessive movement. A broken front spring is one of the most common failures on higher-mileage cars and is a straightforward replacement.

Lamps & electrical33.3% of failures

Lighting is the single most common MOT failure and the cheapest to put right. A blown headlight, brake-light or number-plate bulb, a cracked lens, or a headlamp beam that points too high or low will all fail. Most are a two-minute bulb swap.

Brakes28.6% of failures

Brake failures cover worn pads and discs, an imbalance between wheels, corroded or scored discs, or a binding caliper. Braking efficiency is measured on a rolling road, so a spongy or pulling brake shows up as a low reading.

Other14.3% of failures

This covers a range of smaller items, from a non-working horn to a warning light left on.

Tyres9.5% of failures

Tyres fail for tread below the 1.6mm legal limit across the central three-quarters, uneven or exposed-cord wear, or sidewall damage. The tester inspects all four; a single illegal tyre is a fail.

Registration plate4.8% of failures

A missing, damaged, dirty or incorrectly-spaced number plate, or one using the wrong font, will fail. A replacement plate is inexpensive.

The parts that fix each

If your car has just failed, you have 10 working days to fix the items and get a free partial retest. These are the usual parts; confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying.

For the suspension failure: Mazda Demi suspension springs and shock absorbersSearch Amazon for Mazda Demi suspension springs and shock absorbersaffiliate searchFind Mazda Demi suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate
For the lamps & electrical failure: Mazda Demi headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for Mazda Demi headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind Mazda Demi headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the brakes failure: Mazda Demi brake pads and discsSearch Amazon for Mazda Demi brake pads and discsaffiliate searchFind Mazda Demi brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the tyres failure: Mazda Demi tyresSearch Amazon for Mazda Demi tyresaffiliate searchFind Mazda Demi tyres on eBayaffiliate
For the registration plate failure: Mazda Demi number plateSearch Amazon for Mazda Demi number plateaffiliate searchFind Mazda Demi number plate on eBayaffiliate

Other models

Mazda Mx-5 MOT failures23.4% failure rateMazda 3 MOT failures22.4% failure rateMazda 2 MOT failures21.4% failure rateFord Fiesta MOT failures27.1% failure rate

Sources: DVSA MOT History API: MOT test results and defect data ยท DVSA MOT testing data for Great Britain