2011 Mazda 3 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 35,896 MOT tests, the 2011 Mazda 3 recorded a 76.1% pass rate. That is 1.0 percentage points worse than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 22.9%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (13.9%) and lighting & signalling (12.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint, position lamp and tread depth — ball joint alone was recorded 3,680 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 9.4% in the 0-30k band and 30.6% in the 150k+ band, a 21.2-point spread — more than double.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 23.6% of the time against 25.0% for diesel.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 33.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 20.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 26.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 13.9% | 4,998 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 12.3% | 4,400 |
| 3 | Tyres | 6.2% | 2,207 |
| 4 | Brakes | 6.1% | 2,192 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.2% | 1,488 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.5% | 1,252 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball joint | 3,680 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 2,474 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 1,341 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 1,001 |
| 5 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 968 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 886 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 33.2% | 11,919 |
| 2 | Tyres | 29.0% | 10,410 |
| 3 | Brakes | 23.8% | 8,534 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 13.3% | 4,784 |
| 5 | Other defects | 9.5% | 3,405 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 8.1% | 2,889 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 640 | 9.4% |
| 30-60k | 5,835 | 15.1% |
| 60-90k | 13,260 | 23.1% |
| 90-120k | 10,584 | 27.8% |
| 120-150k | 4,110 | 28.9% |
| 150k+ | 1,464 | 30.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 28,676 | 23.6% |
| Diesel | 7,220 | 25.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 7,344 | 20.9% |
| 2022 | 7,369 | 22.3% |
| 2023 | 7,319 | 24.3% |
| 2024 | 7,090 | 25.5% |
| 2025 | 6,774 | 26.9% |
What to check before buying a 2011 3
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 13.9% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (13.9% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Lighting & signalling (12.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (6.2% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2011 Mazda 3s pass their MOT?
76.1% of the 35,896 2011 Mazda 3 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 23.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 Mazda 3?
Suspension, recorded in 13.9% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (12.3%).
Does the 2011 3 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.4% in the 0-30k band to 30.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 35,896 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.