2014 Suzuki Splash — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2014 Suzuki Splash passed 83.7% of its 18,271 recorded MOT tests. City cars of a similar age fail 17.4% of the time, so this is 1.1pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, brakes and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (8.7%) and brakes (6.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint, wipers and coil spring — ball joint alone was recorded 859 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 27.7% once past 150k — 3.2× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 24.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 11.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 19.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 8.7% | 1,590 |
| 2 | Brakes | 6.4% | 1,166 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 5.5% | 1,003 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.3% | 780 |
| 5 | Tyres | 3.0% | 543 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.8% | 139 |
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 | 859 |
| 2 | Wipers | 748 |
| 3 | Coil spring | 556 |
| 4 | Rbt (sp) | 449 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 426 |
| 6 | Rigid brake pipes | 425 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 24.4% | 4,468 |
| 2 | Brakes | 21.9% | 4,011 |
| 3 | Suspension | 13.4% | 2,455 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.6% | 1,202 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.8% | 695 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 3.0% | 555 |
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 | 5,206 | 8.8% |
| 30-60k | 8,613 | 16.5% |
| 60-90k | 3,475 | 23.8% |
| 90-120k | 796 | 27.4% |
| 120-150k | 134 | 26.9% |
| 150k+ | 47 | 27.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,505 | 11.4% |
| 2022 | 3,589 | 14.1% |
| 2023 | 3,694 | 16.6% |
| 2024 | 3,735 | 19.0% |
| 2025 | 3,748 | 19.8% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Splash
On a 2014 Splash, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 8.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (8.7% 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.
- 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.
- Lighting & signalling (5.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 2014 Suzuki Splashs pass their MOT?
83.7% of the 18,271 2014 Suzuki Splash MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Suzuki Splash?
Suspension, recorded in 8.7% of tests, followed by brakes (6.4%).
Does the 2014 Splash get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.8% in the 0-30k band to 27.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 18,271 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.