Does the Mazda E Series fail the MOT on steering more than it should?
The Mazda E Series records 13.20 steering failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 4.96 expected for a car of the same age mix: more than expected for its class and age (+8.24, 95% interval +7.26 to +9.22). It ranks 15 of 640 models on steering (1 = most failures above expected).
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · all models on steering · check a Mazda E Series by registration
What exactly fails on steering?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Mazda E Series is “Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated”, recorded 345 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated | 345 | 6.50 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 210 | 3.96 |
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 56 | 1.06 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 5,304 (initial tests) · Method: failure items (major and minor) grouped by DVSA's defect tree; wordings with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
Other pages for this model
Mazda E Series by postcode area · Mazda E Series body, chassis and structure failures · Mazda E Series brakes failures · Mazda E Series lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Mazda E Series noise, emissions and leaks failures · Mazda E Series seat belts and airbags failures · Mazda E Series suspension failures · Mazda E Series tyres failures · Mazda E Series visibility failures