Does the Suzuki Wagon R fail the MOT on steering more than it should?
The Suzuki Wagon R records 8.07 steering failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 6.38 expected for a car of the same age mix: more than expected for its class and age (+1.69, 95% interval +1.48 to +1.90). It ranks 126 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 Suzuki Wagon R by registration
What exactly fails on steering?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Suzuki Wagon R is “A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play”, recorded 2,716 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 2,716 | 3.93 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated | 1,651 | 2.39 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 715 | 1.04 |
| Free play in the steering, measured at the rim of the steering wheel is excessive | 187 | 0.27 |
| A steering ball joint worn to the extent there is a serious risk of detachment | 143 | 0.21 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 69,041 (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 Suzuki Wagon R gets a steering advisory, how often does it fail next time?
17.1% of Suzuki Wagon R MOTs with a steering advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 12 months and 3,318 miles later (2,004 advisories followed).
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 2,004 (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
Suzuki Wagon R 1999 · Suzuki Wagon R 2000 · Suzuki Wagon R 2001 · Suzuki Wagon R 2002 · Suzuki Wagon R 2003 · Suzuki Wagon R 2004 · Suzuki Wagon R 2005 · Suzuki Wagon R 2006 · Suzuki Wagon R 2007 · Suzuki Wagon R in the Netherlands · Suzuki Wagon R by postcode area · Suzuki Wagon R body, chassis and structure failures · Suzuki Wagon R brakes failures · Suzuki Wagon R vehicle identification failures · Suzuki Wagon R lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Suzuki Wagon R noise, emissions and leaks failures · Suzuki Wagon R road wheels failures · Suzuki Wagon R seat belts and airbags failures · Suzuki Wagon R suspension failures · Suzuki Wagon R tyres failures · Suzuki Wagon R visibility failures