2015 Mazda 3 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2015 Mazda 3 passed 81.9% of its 71,612 recorded MOT tests. Against small family cars of a similar age (15.6% fail rate), the 2015 3 comes out 2.5pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 9.4% of tests against 6.4% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, brake pads and rigid brake pipes — coil spring alone was recorded 5,011 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 11.3% in the 0-30k band and 25.9% in the 150k+ band, a 14.6-point spread — more than double.
The petrol cars hold up better: 17.7% fail against 19.5% for diesel, a 1.8-point gap across 71,612 tests.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 28.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 14.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 9.4% | 6,717 |
| 2 | Brakes | 6.4% | 4,566 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.4% | 3,159 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.6% | 1,862 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.4% | 1,744 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.7% | 488 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 5,011 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 2,675 |
| 3 | Rigid brake pipes | 1,924 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 1,569 |
| 5 | Wipers | 1,470 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 1,064 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 28.3% | 20,296 |
| 2 | Tyres | 24.6% | 17,583 |
| 3 | Suspension | 11.3% | 8,099 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.4% | 5,273 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.5% | 2,486 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.7% | 1,187 |
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 | 5,820 | 11.3% |
| 30-60k | 29,210 | 16.0% |
| 60-90k | 25,397 | 19.9% |
| 90-120k | 8,881 | 22.8% |
| 120-150k | 1,865 | 23.5% |
| 150k+ | 432 | 25.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 57,309 | 17.7% |
| Diesel | 14,303 | 19.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 14,009 | 14.7% |
| 2022 | 14,195 | 16.5% |
| 2023 | 14,437 | 18.5% |
| 2024 | 14,393 | 19.2% |
| 2025 | 14,578 | 21.4% |
What to check before buying a 2015 3
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 9.4% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (9.4% 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.
- Brakes (6.4% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Tyres (4.4% 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 2015 Mazda 3s pass their MOT?
81.9% of the 71,612 2015 Mazda 3 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 18.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Mazda 3?
Suspension, recorded in 9.4% of tests, followed by brakes (6.4%).
Does the 2015 3 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.3% in the 0-30k band to 25.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 71,612 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.