Common problems
Suzuki Ignis (before 2016) common problems
What MOT testers find on the Suzuki Ignis (before 2016): the parts that fail or get advisories most often at each age, against all cars of the same age. From 25,857 DVSA MOT tests taken 2022 to 2025. These figures cover cars first used before 2016. Later cars sold under the same name are not included; see Suzuki Ignis cars first used 2016 or later.
MOT data updated
At 18 years, the most tested age
What stands out
- Suspension fails show up on 18.3 of every 100 MOTs of a Suzuki Ignis (before 2016) at 18 years old (n=4,799), against 17.2 for all cars of that age (n=3,261,622).
- Lights and electrics fails are less common: 18.1 per 100 MOTs against 21.4 for all cars at the same age.
- The fail item testers record most often at 18 years: suspension ball joint worn, on 5.3 per 100 MOTs (all cars 2.4).
- The most common advisory or minor defect: rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material, on 23.4 per 100 MOTs.
Problems by part at 18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 18.3 | 17.2 | 36.5 | 35.3 |
| Lights and electrics | 18.1 | 21.4 | 15.9 | 17.8 |
| Brakes | 13.3 | 12.9 | 37.5 | 32.3 |
| Body and structure | 8.4 | 8.7 | 17.1 | 14.7 |
| Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 6.7 | 7.3 | 5.0 | 6.2 |
| Tyres | 6.1 | 7.0 | 26.2 | 27.6 |
| Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 5.7 | 6.8 | 8.1 | 14.1 |
| Steering | 4.2 | 3.9 | 6.5 | 5.6 |
| Seat belts and airbags | 1.6 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 1.3 |
| Number plates and VIN | 0.9 | 0.6 | 8.1 | 5.5 |
| Road wheels | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.3 |
What testers fail most on the Ignis (before 2016) at 18 years
| Item | Area | Per 100 MOTs | All cars | Typical repair (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension ball joint worn | Suspension | 5.3 | 2.4 | £75 to £237 per side (rough guide) |
| Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded | Brakes | 4.5 | 2.2 | £137 to £392 per car (rough guide) |
| Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect | Lights and electrics | 4.2 | 4.0 | £16 to £39 per car (rough guide) |
| Coil spring broken | Suspension | 3.8 | 3.1 | £64 to £236 per spring (rough guide) |
| Wipers not clearing screen | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 3.7 | 3.0 | £15 to £30 per blade |
| Side/position light not working | Lights and electrics | 3.4 | 5.6 | £10 to £47 per lamp |
| Driveshaft CV boot split | Body and structure | 3.1 | 3.2 | £88 to £196 per boot (rough guide) |
| Tyre tread below 1.6 mm | Tyres | 2.8 | 2.9 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction | Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 2.8 | 2.5 | diagnosis from £39 (rough guide) |
| Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength | Suspension | 2.5 | 2.3 |
Early warnings: advisories and minor defects at 18 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material | Brakes | 23.4 | 12.3 | £137 to £392 per car (rough guide) |
| Coil spring: corroded | Suspension | 15.0 | 7.7 | |
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge | Tyres | 13.6 | 17.4 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing | Tyres | 13.4 | 9.8 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Play in steering rack inner joint(s) | Other | 12.0 | 3.7 | |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened | Brakes | 9.5 | 11.1 | £148 to £376 per axle (rough guide) |
| Exhaust system: mounting defective | Body and structure | 8.2 | 1.8 | £28 to £108 per car (rough guide) |
| Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread | Number plates and VIN | 7.9 | 5.4 | £23 to £63 per plate (rough guide) |
| Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive | Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 7.0 | 12.6 | |
| Suspension arm: corroded but not seriously weakened | Suspension | 6.2 | 2.9 | £92 to £237 per arm (rough guide) |
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) | Suspension | Lights and electrics | Brakes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 years | 1,353 | 16.5 | 11.7 | 13.8 |
| 16 years | 2,385 | 17.0 | 14.2 | 12.2 |
| 17 years | 3,701 | 18.7 | 17.4 | 13.1 |
| 18 years | 4,799 | 18.3 | 18.1 | 13.3 |
| 19 years | 4,544 | 16.8 | 19.2 | 13.1 |
| 20 years | 4,009 | 16.9 | 19.8 | 15.7 |
| 21 years | 3,191 | 16.2 | 18.0 | 16.6 |
| 22 years | 1,875 | 16.0 | 21.0 | 18.3 |
Mileage
At 18 years, Suzuki Ignis (before 2016) cars showing 60,000 to 90,000 miles failed 43.9% of MOTs (n=1,620); the band that failed most, 90,000 to 120,000 miles, failed 46.9% (n=1,376). For pass and fail rates by age, see Suzuki Ignis MOT fail rates.
What to check on a viewing
On the Suzuki Ignis (before 2016), testers most often record suspension ball joint worn; rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded; headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect. Look at these first, then the areas below.
Suspension
- Listen for knocks or clonks over speed bumps and rough roads on the test drive.
- Push down hard on each corner: the car should settle at once rather than keep bouncing.
- Look behind the wheels for broken or heavily rusted coil springs and split rubber bushes.
- Check that the car sits level and that no tyre is worn on one edge only.
Lights and electrics
- With someone outside, try every light: dipped and main beam, indicators, brake lights, fog lights and number plate lamps.
- Check that the warning lights come on with the ignition and go out once the engine runs.
- Look for misted, cracked or yellowed headlamp lenses.
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 Suzuki Ignis (before 2016)?
At 18 years, the age with the most MOT tests (4,799), the fail items testers record most often on the Suzuki Ignis (before 2016) are suspension ball joint worn (5.3 per 100 MOTs), rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded (4.5 per 100 MOTs), headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.2 per 100 MOTs). The most common advisories or minor defects are rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material (23.4) and coil spring: corroded (15.0).
Which parts of the Suzuki Ignis (before 2016) fail more often than on other cars?
At 18 years: suspension (18.3 per 100 MOTs against 17.2 for all cars). Compared with 3,261,622 MOTs of all cars the same age.
Suzuki Ignis (before 2016) problems by area
More on the Suzuki Ignis (before 2016)
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The all cars figures cover all class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans) tested at the same age.
Looking at a Suzuki Ignis (before 2016)?
These figures describe the model, not the car in front of you. Found one you might buy? See what the VetTheCar Buying Report covers, or use the tools that work without a registration.
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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