2002 Mazda Premacy — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 272 MOT tests, the 2002 Mazda Premacy recorded a 68.4% pass rate. That is 4.1 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 27.5%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 21.7% of tests against 14.0% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, prescribed areas and pins and bushes — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 62 times.
A 120-150k example is materially riskier than a 30-60k one: 36.1% versus 25.5%.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 41.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 34.0% in 2021 to 26.3% in 2024, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 21.7% | 59 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 14.0% | 38 |
| 3 | Brakes | 13.2% | 36 |
| 4 | Tyres | 7.7% | 21 |
| 5 | Visibility | 7.0% | 19 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 6.3% | 17 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 62 |
| 2 | Prescribed areas | 27 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 17 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 17 |
| 5 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 15 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 14 |
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 | 41.5% | 113 |
| 2 | Brakes | 35.3% | 96 |
| 3 | Tyres | 34.9% | 95 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 23.9% | 65 |
| 5 | Other defects | 14.3% | 39 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 13.2% | 36 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 47 | 25.5% |
| 60-90k | 100 | 31.0% |
| 90-120k | 79 | 35.4% |
| 120-150k | 36 | 36.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 94 | 34.0% |
| 2022 | 64 | 29.7% |
| 2023 | 49 | 34.7% |
| 2024 | 38 | 26.3% |
What to check before buying a 2002 Premacy
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 21.7% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (21.7% 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 (14.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (13.2% 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.
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 2002 Mazda Premacys pass their MOT?
68.4% of the 272 2002 Mazda Premacy MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 31.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2002 Mazda Premacy?
Suspension, recorded in 21.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (14.0%).
Does the 2002 Premacy get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 25.5% in the 30-60k band to 36.1% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 272 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.