Know Your MOT
27.0%fail rate

Mazda Demio common MOT failures and failure rate

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

Based on 136,645 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 27.0% of MOT tests recorded on the Mazda Demio 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 31.8% of the Mazda Demio's failures, followed by suspension, lamps & electrical, brakes, tyres. 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

Suspension31.8% 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 & electrical27.4% 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.

Brakes27.4% 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.

Tyres21.2% 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.

Other15.7% of failures

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

Visibility/wipers13.7% of failures

Visibility failures include torn or smearing wiper blades, a washer jet that does not reach the screen, and chips or cracks in the driver's swept area. Blades and washer fluid are quick, cheap fixes.

Failure rate by year

How the MOT failure rate varies by the car's year of first registration (older examples generally fail more as wear sets in).

199730.5% fail · 167 tests
199829.6% fail · 7,229 tests
199928.9% fail · 21,304 tests
200027.7% fail · 44,136 tests
200125.6% fail · 23,125 tests
200225.9% fail · 29,142 tests
200325.3% fail · 9,861 tests
200823.8% fail · 399 tests
200916.7% fail · 239 tests
201023.4% fail · 321 tests

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 Demio suspension springs and shock absorbersSearch Amazon for Mazda Demio suspension springs and shock absorbersaffiliate searchFind Mazda Demio suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate
For the lamps & electrical failure: Mazda Demio headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for Mazda Demio headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind Mazda Demio headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the brakes failure: Mazda Demio brake pads and discsSearch Amazon for Mazda Demio brake pads and discsaffiliate searchFind Mazda Demio brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the tyres failure: Mazda Demio tyresSearch Amazon for Mazda Demio tyresaffiliate searchFind Mazda Demio tyres on eBayaffiliate
For the visibility/wipers failure: Mazda Demio wiper bladesSearch Amazon for Mazda Demio wiper bladesaffiliate searchFind Mazda Demio wiper blades 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 · DVSA MOT testing data for Great Britain