Common problems
Mazda CX-30 common problems
What MOT testers find on the Mazda CX-30: the parts that fail or get advisories most often at each age, against all cars of the same age. From 41,935 DVSA MOT tests taken 2022 to 2025.
MOT data updated
At 3 years, the most tested age
What stands out
- No part area of the Mazda CX-30 fails more than 1 point per 100 MOTs above all cars at 3 years old (n=20,931; all cars n=8,016,463).
- Tyres fails are less common: 2.9 per 100 MOTs against 4.8 for all cars at the same age.
- The fail item testers record most often at 3 years: tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords, on 1.4 per 100 MOTs (all cars 1.8).
- The most common advisory or minor defect: tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge, on 10.7 per 100 MOTs.
Problems by part at 3 years
How many of every 100 MOTs found a fail, or an advisory or minor defect, in each area. A test with faults in two areas counts in both.
| Area | Fails | All cars | Advisories | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 2.9 | 4.8 | 15.0 | 18.1 |
| Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 1.5 | 2.8 | 2.0 | 2.8 |
| Brakes | 1.2 | 1.7 | 15.4 | 8.8 |
| Lights and electrics | 1.2 | 2.9 | 0.1 | 0.7 |
| Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.4 |
| Suspension | 0.4 | 0.6 | 7.3 | 1.9 |
| Body and structure | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.3 |
| Number plates and VIN | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.5 |
| Seat belts and airbags | under 0.1 | 0.3 | under 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Steering | under 0.1 | 0.1 | under 0.1 | 0.1 |
What testers fail most on the CX-30 at 3 years
| Item | Area | Per 100 MOTs | All cars | Typical repair (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords | Tyres | 1.4 | 1.8 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Tyre tread below 1.6 mm | Tyres | 1.0 | 1.3 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Brake pads under 1.5 mm | Brakes | 0.8 | 1.0 | £72 to £174 per axle (rough guide) |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 0.6 | 0.6 | £2 to £14 per car (rough guide) |
| Wipers not clearing screen | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 0.6 | 1.9 | £15 to £30 per blade |
| Headlight aimed too high | Lights and electrics | 0.6 | 0.9 | £16 to £39 per car (rough guide) |
| Headlamp aim: too low | Lights and electrics | 0.4 | 0.6 | £16 to £39 per car (rough guide) |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction | Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 0.3 | 0.2 | diagnosis from £39 (rough guide) |
| Shock absorber leaking | Suspension | 0.3 | 0.2 | £122 to £484 per axle (pair) (rough guide) |
| Washers: not working | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 0.2 | 0.3 | £28 to £118 per car (rough guide) |
Early warnings: advisories and minor defects at 3 years
Advisories and minor defects are recorded, but the car still passes. Across all cars, a part with an advisory or minor defect failed at the next MOT 5.5 times in 100 (n=88,666,940 pairs of consecutive MOTs), against 0.3 times in 100 when the same part had none (n=12,936,860,350).
| Item | Area | Per 100 MOTs | All cars | If it needs replacing (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge | Tyres | 10.7 | 11.8 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened | Brakes | 8.7 | 3.9 | £148 to £376 per axle (rough guide) |
| Brake pads: wearing thin | Brakes | 7.3 | 4.8 | £72 to £174 per axle (rough guide) |
| Shock absorbers: has light misting of oil | Suspension | 7.2 | 1.0 | £122 to £484 per axle (pair) (rough guide) |
| Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt | Other | 2.1 | 2.1 | |
| Brake discs: worn, but not excessively | Brakes | 1.9 | 1.1 | £148 to £376 per axle (rough guide) |
| Tyre condition: has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords | Tyres | 1.9 | 2.0 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge | Tyres | 1.5 | 1.8 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Nail in tyre | Other | 1.5 | 2.3 | |
| Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing | Tyres | 1.2 | 3.7 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
Repair estimates are a guide for an independent garage: labour at the national median local garage rate (median £78 an hour from 65 garages, ONS price quotes) times estimated labour hours, plus a parts band. Labour hours and most parts bands are estimates, not quotes, and prices vary by model, engine and region. A warning light fault shows the cost of the diagnosis only.
How problems change with age
| Age | Tests (n) | Tyres | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | Brakes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 20,931 | 2.9 | 1.5 | 1.2 |
| 4 years | 14,545 | 3.0 | 2.6 | 1.7 |
| 5 years | 6,459 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 2.0 |
Mileage
At 3 years, Mazda CX-30 cars showing under 30,000 miles failed 5.8% of MOTs (n=16,781); the band that failed most, 30,000 to 60,000 miles, failed 12.0% (n=3,917). For pass and fail rates by age, see Mazda CX-30 MOT fail rates.
What to check on a viewing
On the Mazda CX-30, testers most often record tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords; tyre tread below 1.6 mm; brake pads under 1.5 mm. Look at these first, then the areas below.
Tyres
- Check the tread across the full width of all four tyres, and the spare if there is one.
- Look for cuts, bulges and cracking in the sidewalls.
- Wear on one edge only can point to worn suspension or the tracking being out.
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
- Look for chips or cracks in the windscreen, above all in front of the driver.
- Run the wipers and washers: they should clear the screen without smearing.
- Check that the mirrors are present, secure and not cracked.
Brakes
- On the test drive the car should stop in a straight line without pulling, juddering or grinding.
- Look at the discs through the wheels for a deep lip, heavy rust or scoring.
- Check that the handbrake or electronic parking brake holds the car on a slope.
- Ask when the pads, discs and brake fluid were last changed, and for the receipts.
Ask for the car's MOT history and service record: advisories that repeat from one year to the next show what has been left. GOV.UK MOT history.
Questions
What are the most common problems on the Mazda CX-30?
At 3 years, the age with the most MOT tests (20,931), the fail items testers record most often on the Mazda CX-30 are tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (1.4 per 100 MOTs), tyre tread below 1.6 mm (1.0 per 100 MOTs), brake pads under 1.5 mm (0.8 per 100 MOTs). The most common advisories or minor defects are tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (10.7) and brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (8.7).
Which parts of the Mazda CX-30 fail more often than on other cars?
None by more than 1 point per 100 MOTs at 3 years, compared with 8,016,463 MOTs of all cars the same age.
Mazda CX-30 problems by area
More on the Mazda CX-30
Other Mazda models
The all cars figures cover all class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans) tested at the same age.
Looking at a Mazda CX-30?
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Repair estimates: ONS consumer price quotes for local garage labour (09/2025 to 08/2026), the MOT inspection manual for defect wording, and estimated labour hours and parts bands. Not affiliated with or endorsed by ONS.
Source
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025. MOT data updated 28 September 2026.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources