2006 Vauxhall Zafira — MOT failures & pass rate
75,348 MOT tests on the 2006 Vauxhall Zafira are in this dataset, and 69.3% of them passed. That is 1.1 percentage points worse than MPVs of a similar age, which fail at 29.6%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (17.1%) and lighting & signalling (16.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, headlamp aim and pins and bushes — coil spring alone was recorded 6,249 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 32.9% versus 19.0%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 30.7% of the time against 30.8% for diesel.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 36.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 31.8% in 2021 to 29.4% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 17.1% | 12,904 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 16.4% | 12,344 |
| 3 | Brakes | 11.8% | 8,859 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 8.8% | 6,625 |
| 5 | Tyres | 7.4% | 5,596 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.1% | 4,601 |
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 | 6,249 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 4,935 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 4,601 |
| 4 | Catalyst emissions | 4,389 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 4,074 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 3,896 |
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 | 36.8% | 27,755 |
| 2 | Suspension | 36.4% | 27,412 |
| 3 | Tyres | 32.1% | 24,194 |
| 4 | Other defects | 26.0% | 19,594 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 19.1% | 14,431 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 17.1% | 12,857 |
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 | 216 | 19.0% |
| 30-60k | 2,551 | 21.9% |
| 60-90k | 14,056 | 27.7% |
| 90-120k | 29,387 | 31.1% |
| 120-150k | 20,595 | 32.6% |
| 150k+ | 8,431 | 32.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 62,579 | 30.7% |
| Diesel | 12,767 | 30.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 25,027 | 31.8% |
| 2022 | 18,829 | 30.3% |
| 2023 | 14,190 | 30.6% |
| 2024 | 10,162 | 29.8% |
| 2025 | 7,140 | 29.4% |
What to check before buying a 2006 Zafira
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 17.1% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (17.1% 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 (16.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (11.8% 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 2006 Vauxhall Zafiras pass their MOT?
69.3% of the 75,348 2006 Vauxhall Zafira MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 30.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2006 Vauxhall Zafira?
Suspension, recorded in 17.1% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (16.4%).
Does the 2006 Zafira get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 19.0% in the 0-30k band to 32.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 75,348 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.