Does the Mazda MX-5 fail the MOT on steering more than it should?
The Mazda MX-5 records 1.97 steering failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 4.57 expected for a car of the same age mix: less than expected for its class and age (−2.60, 95% interval −2.66 to −2.54). It ranks 519 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 MX-5 by registration
What exactly fails on steering?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Mazda MX-5 is “Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated”, recorded 4,644 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated | 4,644 | 0.93 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 2,270 | 0.45 |
| Power steering fluid leaking or system malfunctioning | 983 | 0.20 |
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 812 | 0.16 |
| Steering linkage retaining or locking device missing or ineffective | 288 | 0.06 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 499,285 (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
If a Mazda MX-5 gets a steering advisory, how often does it fail next time?
9.7% of Mazda MX-5 MOTs with a steering advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 12.1 months and 2,262 miles later (2,619 advisories followed).
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 2,619 (advisories followed) · Method: the same vehicles followed to their next ordinary MOT · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
Other pages for this model
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