Mazda 6 2010: reliability & common MOT faults
Elevated MOT failure patterns for the 2010 Mazda 6 include Ball joint dust cover (front) (~5.3× peers). Based on UK DVSA open data for test year 2025 (1,681 failed first-attempt tests), compared with similar age and mileage peers. Available test years: 2024, 2025.
Common faults
These are MOT failure patterns that show up more often on this registration year than on similar cars of the same class, age band, and mileage in the same test year (leave-one-out peer comparison; whole model family excluded).
Statistical patterns from MOT defect codes — not manufacturer TSBs, recalls, or a diagnosis of any individual car. Fail and advisory patterns are kept separate.
Based on 1,681 failed first-attempt tests in test year 2025.
Ball joint dust cover (front)
This failure pattern appears about 5.3× more often than on similar peer cars — recorded on 213 failed first-attempt tests; 12.7% of failed tests for this model year.
Front · 213 failures · ×5.3 vs similar cars · 12.7% of failed first tests · Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars
| # | Fault pattern | Location | Failures | vs similar cars | Share of fails | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Ball joint dust cover (front)
Suspension > Suspension arms > Ball joint dust cover
|
Front | 213 | ×5.3 | 12.7% | Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars |
| 2 |
Service brake performance
Brakes > Brake performance > Service Brake Efficiency (sp) > Rbt (sp) > Service brake performance
|
Any | 46 | ×4.3 | 2.7% | Likely common fault pattern |
| 3 |
Service brake performance (front)
Brakes > Brake performance > Service brake performance > Rbt > Service brake performance
|
Front | 83 | ×3.0 | 4.9% | Likely common fault pattern |
| 4 |
Rbt (sp)
Brakes > Brake performance > Parking brake efficiency (sp) > Rbt (sp)
|
Any | 362 | ×3.0 | 21.5% | Possible elevated fault |
| 5 |
Rigid brake pipes (front)
Brakes > Rigid brake pipes
|
Front | 43 | ×2.9 | 2.6% | Possible elevated fault |
| 6 |
Service brake imbalance (rear)
Brakes > Brake performance > Service Brake Efficiency (sp) > Rbt (sp) > Service brake imbalance
|
Rear | 42 | ×2.6 | 2.5% | Possible elevated fault |
| 7 |
Parking brake performance
Brakes > Brake performance > Parking brake performance > Rbt > Parking brake performance
|
Any | 49 | ×2.3 | 2.9% | Possible elevated fault |
| 8 |
Wheel bearings (front)
Suspension > Wheel bearings
|
Front | 48 | ×2.0 | 2.9% | Possible elevated fault |
Only patterns that clear minimum sample and elevation thresholds are shown (at least 20 failures and 2.0× peer lift).
Advisories
Advisory items recorded on failed first-attempt tests that appear elevated versus peers. Advisories are not a fail rate — they flag issues noted at the test, often before they become failures.
| # | Advisory pattern | Location | Notes | vs similar cars | Share | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Suspension arm
Suspension > Suspension arms > Suspension arm
|
Any | 31 | ×5.6 | 1.8% | Elevated vs peers |
| 2 |
Service brake performance (front)
Brakes > Brake performance > Service brake performance > Plate brake tester > Service brake performance
|
Front | 25 | ×5.4 | 1.5% | Elevated vs peers |
| 3 |
Sub-frame mounting prescribed areas (rear)
Suspension > Sub-frames > Sub-frame mounting prescribed areas
|
Rear | 50 | ×4.7 | 3.0% | Elevated vs peers |
| 4 |
Suspension arm (rear)
Suspension > Suspension arms > Suspension arm
|
Rear | 228 | ×4.1 | 13.6% | Elevated vs peers |
| 5 |
Sub-frame condition (rear)
Body, chassis, structure > Integral vehicle structure > Sub-frame > Sub-frame condition
|
Rear | 22 | ×3.8 | 1.3% | Elevated vs peers |
| 6 |
Sub-frame (rear)
Suspension > Sub-frames > Sub-frame
|
Rear | 394 | ×3.7 | 23.4% | Likely common fault pattern |
| 7 |
Component mounting prescribed areas (rear)
Suspension > Component mounting prescribed areas
|
Rear | 86 | ×3.4 | 5.1% | Elevated vs peers |
| 8 |
Headlamp (front)
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Headlamps > Headlamp
|
Front | 69 | ×3.4 | 4.1% | Elevated vs peers |
FAQs
About this data
Universe. UK class 4 cars only; normal MOT tests (not retests); results pass, PRS, or fail; one first test per vehicle per calendar year.
PRS policy. PRS means the vehicle failed items that were fixed at the test station and then passed the same day. We count PRS as a first-attempt fail in headline rates so same-day repairs do not hide problems.
Peer baseline. We compare this model year with other class 4 cars of similar age and mileage in the same test year, excluding the whole model family so the car is not compared with itself (leave-one-out peer baseline).
Data years. Test years covered: 2024, 2025.
Limitations.
- MOT tests do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronic modules — so this is not a full reliability score.
- Common faults are inferred from MOT defect statistics, not manufacturer TSBs or recalls.
- Matching on age and mileage reduces but does not remove every usage or maintenance difference between cars.
- Pass rates and star scores appear only when those data marts are available; this page never invents them.
Display rules config: 1
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.