Suzuki Grand Vitara 2010: reliability & common MOT faults

Elevated MOT failure patterns for the 2010 Suzuki Grand Vitara include Electronic stability control (~6.7× peers) and Component mounting prescribed areas (rear) (~6.5× peers). Based on UK DVSA open data for test year 2025 (544 failed first-attempt tests), compared with similar age and mileage peers. Available test years: 2024, 2025.

Key takeaways before you buy

  • Electronic stability control: about 6.7× more often than similar cars
  • Component mounting prescribed areas (rear): about 6.5× more often than similar cars
  • Side repeaters: about 4.0× more often than similar cars

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 544 failed first-attempt tests in test year 2025.

Electronic stability control

This failure pattern appears about 6.7× more often than on similar peer cars — recorded on 29 failed first-attempt tests; 5.3% of failed tests for this model year.

Any · 29 failures · ×6.7 vs similar cars · 5.3% of failed first tests · Possible elevated fault

Component mounting prescribed areas (rear)

This failure pattern appears about 6.5× more often than on similar peer cars — recorded on 58 failed first-attempt tests; 10.7% of failed tests for this model year.

Rear · 58 failures · ×6.5 vs similar cars · 10.7% of failed first tests · Likely common fault pattern

No patterns met the strongest callout thresholds on this page; showing the highest-lift rows that still cleared the display floors.

# Fault pattern Location Failures vs similar cars Share of fails Confidence
1 Electronic stability control
Brakes > ABS / EBS / ESC > Electronic stability control
Any 29 ×6.7 5.3% Possible elevated fault
2 Component mounting prescribed areas (rear)
Suspension > Component mounting prescribed areas
Rear 58 ×6.5 10.7% Likely common fault pattern
3 Side repeaters
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Direction indicators > Flashing type > Side repeaters
Any 34 ×4.0 6.2% Likely common fault pattern
4 Rigid brake pipes (rear)
Brakes > Rigid brake pipes
Rear 30 ×3.4 5.5% Likely common fault pattern
5 Service brake performance (front)
Brakes > Brake performance > Service brake performance > Rbt > Service brake performance
Front 29 ×3.1 5.3% Possible elevated fault
6 Visibility — Wipers
Visibility > Wipers
Any 46 ×3.0 8.5% Possible elevated fault
7 Anti-lock braking system
Brakes > ABS / EBS / ESC > Anti-lock braking system
Any 28 ×2.8 5.1% 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 Transmission oil leaks (rear)
Noise, emissions and leaks > Fluid leaks > Transmission oil leaks
Rear 32 ×62.5 5.9% Elevated vs peers
2 Transmission oil leaks
Noise, emissions and leaks > Fluid leaks > Transmission oil leaks
Any 45 ×7.1 8.3% Elevated vs peers
3 Component mounting prescribed areas (rear)
Suspension > Component mounting prescribed areas
Rear 25 ×3.5 4.6% Likely common fault pattern
4 Rigid brake pipes (front)
Brakes > Rigid brake pipes
Front 46 ×3.1 8.5% Elevated vs peers
5 Rigid brake pipes (rear)
Brakes > Rigid brake pipes
Rear 68 ×2.9 12.5% Likely common fault pattern
6 Sub-frame (rear)
Suspension > Sub-frames > Sub-frame
Rear 75 ×2.6 13.8% Elevated vs peers
7 Rigid brake pipes
Brakes > Rigid brake pipes
Any 21 ×2.5 3.9% Elevated vs peers
8 Sub-frame (front)
Suspension > Sub-frames > Sub-frame
Front 47 ×2.3 8.6% Elevated vs peers

FAQs

We do not show a single reliability score for the 2010 Suzuki Grand Vitara on this page. Among 544 failed first-attempt MOT tests (test year 2025), Electronic stability control appears more often than on similar peer cars (about 6.7× more often than peers; 29 observed failures; 5.3% of failed tests). Treat this as a pre-purchase checklist from DVSA open data — not a guarantee for any individual car.
Among failed first-attempt tests we surface patterns that appear more often than on similar peer cars. Top example: Electronic stability control (about 6.7× more often than peers; 29 observed failures; 5.3% of failed tests). These are statistical signals, not a diagnosis of any individual car.
Electronic stability control shows up more often than on similar peer cars (about 6.7× more often than peers; 29 observed failures; 5.3% of failed tests). That does not prove a causal design fault — age, mileage, and usage still matter. Treat it as a pre-purchase check point, not a manufacturer TSB.
Common MOT problem areas for the 2010 Suzuki Grand Vitara include Electronic stability control, Component mounting prescribed areas (rear), Side repeaters. These are elevated versus similar peer cars where lift clears our floors — not a full list of every possible fault on an individual car.
Advisories flag issues noted at the test and are not a fail rate. We show advisory patterns that look elevated versus peers among failed first-attempt tests, separate from common failure rows. Use them as early-warning checks, not as a pass/fail score.
This page highlights elevated MOT failure patterns for the 2010 Suzuki Grand Vitara (registration year) using UK DVSA open data for the selected test year. Patterns are ranked against similar age and mileage peers. It is a buyer checklist from MOT defect statistics — not a full service history or manufacturer TSB list.
No. MOT tests do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronic modules. Patterns here come from MOT defect statistics only and should not be read as engine or gearbox reliability scores.
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.

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.