Model Reports 5 min read Updated 18 Oct 2026

Hyundai i30 2009: reliability & common MOT faults

In 2025, 52 in every 100 first MOTs on a 2009 Hyundai i30 were passes. Most common reason for a fail: Individual sidelight or tail light (front).

Summary

The 2009 Hyundai i30 follows the pattern of the model years either side.

At a glance

How 7,253 first tests went in 2025.

Passed first time
52 in every 100
Did not pass first time
48 in every 1003,457 failed first-attempt tests
The typical car
16 yearsabout 92,533 miles
First tests counted
7,253

What failed most often

  1. Individual sidelight or tail light (front)16 in every 100 failed tests
  2. Track rod end (front)12 in every 100 failed tests
  3. Brake light11 in every 100 failed tests

How we count this. Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Only Class 4 cars on their first MOT of the year are counted. A car that fails and is fixed at the test station still counts as a fail in the first-attempt rate. These are raw results, not adjusted for age, mileage, or peer mix. The MOT does not test engine or gearbox internals.

Note:

These are patterns across 2009 Hyundai i30 vehicles in 2025, not a prediction that any one car will have them. Faults are grouped by part of the car. A wear pattern follows age and use more than the way the car was built. They come from MOT defect codes, not manufacturer bulletins, recalls or a diagnosis of any one car.

Suspension

Two faults. The strongest is the anti-roll bar linkage ball joints (rear): 20 times as often as on similar cars.

Figures below are measured across the 3,456 of 3,457 failed first attempts that recorded an odometer reading in 2025. Mileage is needed to compare like with like.

We only list faults with at least 20 failures and a rate of about 2.0 times that of similar cars, which keeps one-off results out of the list.

Anti-roll bar linkage ball joints (rear)

Failed on 251 first tests20 times as often as similar carsStrong evidence

What it means

Excessive wear on an anti-roll bar linkage ball joint is Major. A joint likely to become detached is graded Dangerous.

Also noted as an advisory

Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 248 first tests, 12 times as often as on similar cars.

Suspension arm ball joint dust cover (front)

Failed on 230 first tests2.8 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

What it means

Whether a suspension arm ball joint dust cover still keeps dirt out decides its grade. Severely deteriorated is Minor, while missing, or no longer preventing the ingress of dirt, is Major.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage. Advisories count notes recorded on failed first tests only.

Brakes

Two faults and one wear pattern. The strongest is the brake hand lever: 4.4 times as often as on similar cars.

Brake hand lever

Failed on 79 first tests4.4 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

A brake lever is failed for insufficient reserve only if it is touching the floor or handlebar. On motorcycle derived systems the lever may touch the handlebar, so the extent of reserve travel is assessed during the brake test. A lever not releasing correctly is Minor, and Major where the functionality of the brakes is affected.

Handbrake lever

Failed on 126 first tests4.1 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

A parking brake lever pivot or ratchet mechanism that is obviously worn is graded Minor. It is Major when worn to the extent that the brake may inadvertently release, and also when the ratchet is not holding correctly. A lever must have obvious excessive travel before being rejected.

Brake discs (rear)

Failed on 130 first tests3.6 times as often as similar carsWear pattern

What it means

A brake disc or drum must be significantly worn before it is rejected, and being worn below the manufacturer's recommended limits is not a reason in itself. Significantly and obviously worn is Major, as is contamination with oil or grease. A disc or drum that is fractured, insecure, seriously weakened or missing is graded Dangerous.

Also noted as an advisory

Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 498 first tests, 2.4 times as often as on similar cars.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage. Advisories count notes recorded on failed first tests only.

Steering

One fault: track rod end (front), 2.7 times as often as on similar cars.

Track rod end (front)

Failed on 402 first tests2.7 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

What it means

A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play is Major, and one worn to the extent there is a serious risk of detachment is graded Dangerous. A dust cover that is damaged but still keeps dirt out is Minor, and one missing or no longer keeping dirt out is Major. Testers must tell wear from a joint's built-in clearance or spring loading.

Also noted as an advisory

Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 120 first tests, 2.5 times as often as on similar cars.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage. Advisories count notes recorded on failed first tests only.

Lamps and electrical

One fault and one wear pattern. The strongest is the headlight aim not tested (front): 2.1 times as often as on similar cars.

Headlight aim not tested (front)

Failed on 34 first tests2.1 times as often as similar carsWear pattern

What it means

Headlamp aim recorded as not tested, or unable to be tested, is a Major failure. These results must only be used where it becomes apparent during the test that the item cannot be tested, and this could not have been identified before starting. The reason must be included in the additional information box.

Brake light (rear)

Failed on 355 first tests2.1 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

What it means

All stop lamps missing or not working is graded Dangerous, and so is a stop lamp that stays on when the brakes are released. A stop lamp that is missing or not working is Major. On some vehicles with LED rear lamps, part of the stop lamp can go out when the rear fog lamp is lit, which is not regarded as a defect.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage.

Advisories

Other things testers noted as worn or close to failing, more often than on similar cars.

An advisory is a note from the tester about something that has not failed yet. It is an early warning, not a fail. Advisories for the faults above are shown with those faults.

Anti-roll bar ball joint (rear)

Noted on 64 first tests15 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

Side repeater indicators (front)

Noted on 98 first tests14 times as often as similar carsElevated evidence

Steering column

Noted on 22 first tests12 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

Steering rack play

Noted on 89 first tests7.3 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

Steering universal joint

Noted on 28 first tests6.5 times as often as similar carsElevated evidence

Anti-roll bar (rear)

Noted on 38 first tests3.1 times as often as similar carsElevated evidence

Suspension arm (rear)

Noted on 253 first tests3.0 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Counts cover advisories recorded on failed first tests only, compared with cars of the same age and mileage.

MOT pass rates

How first tests ended, and how the pass rates are counted.

Passed first time
52in every 100
Passed on the first test.
Fixed at the station
10in every 100
Failed, then fixed at the test station the same day.
Failed
38in every 100
Did not pass, and were not fixed at the test station.

First-attempt pass 52.3% of 7,253 first tests (2025): only cars that passed first time count. Official-style pass 62.3%: cars fixed at the test station also count as a pass. The 10 fixed and the 38 not fixed make the 48 in every 100 that did not pass first time.

Petrol and diesel

First testsTypical mileagePassed first time, as testedPassed first time, same mileage
Petrol5,65988,613 miles5453
Diesel1,594110,768 miles4850

Figures are in every 100 first tests. Cars with more miles usually fail more often, so the same-mileage figure gives every fuel the mileage mix of all the cars in this year.

Same model, other years

Passed first time in every 100, all tested in 2025.

406080100200920152020Older carsNewer cars
40608010020092020Newer cars

Newer cars are younger, so look for a jump rather than the climb. A year earlier (2024), when these cars were a year younger, 53 in every 100 passed first time.

YearPassed first timeFirst tests
200748 in every 100697
200850 in every 1002,035
2009 This car52 in every 1007,253
201052 in every 1008,802
201152 in every 1008,041
201255 in every 1008,064
201357 in every 1009,767
201462 in every 1009,312
201567 in every 10013,052
201669 in every 1009,105
201780 in every 1006,501
201883 in every 1007,040
201986 in every 1003,989
202087 in every 1001,490
202187 in every 1001,727
202290 in every 1001,360

If you are buying one

What this year's MOT record means for the decision in front of you.

Mileage matters most on a 2009 Hyundai i30.

Of 2009 Hyundai i30 vehicles with under 63,000 miles, 66 in every 100 passed their 2025 MOT first time. With 122,000 miles or more, 44 in every 100 did.

Under 63,0001,433 tests
66
63,000–84,0001,507 tests
53
84,000–102,000 Typical car1,438 tests
50
102,000–122,0001,402 tests
48
122,000 and over1,471 tests
44

Petrol or diesel?

Typical mileagePassed first time,
as tested		Passed first time,
same mileage
Petrol88,613 miles5453
Diesel110,768 miles4850

Figures are in every 100 first tests. Petrol cars look better on the raw figures only because diesel cars have done more miles (typically 110,768 against 88,613). At the same mileage there is no clear difference between the two.

What to check at your mileage

How often each fault turned up on a failed first test, by the car's mileage. Read it as: what is likely to need looking at on a car like the one in front of you.

Under 63,00084,000–102,000122,000 and over
Individual sidelight or tail light (front)3.69.29.1
Track rod end (front)2.25.68.4
Brake light3.16.16.3
Handbrake efficiency below minimum (roller test)1.05.08.9
Anti-roll bar linkage ball joints (rear)1.03.84.7

Faults per 100 first tests, by the car's mileage at the test.

When a car fails

23in every 100

of failed cars had one item to fix.

54in every 100

of failed cars had three or more items to fix.

12in every 100

of all first tests had a defect the tester marked dangerous (unsafe to drive away).

Every figure here is a first-attempt MOT rate from DVSA open data for this model line, for cars of this model year tested in 2025. Each mileage band holds a fifth of the tests. MOTs do not test engine or gearbox internals, so this is a pre-purchase checklist, not a full reliability score.

FAQs

Short answers about how to read this model-year guide.

The 2009 Hyundai i30 follows the pattern of the model years either side. Its main cause of failure was Individual sidelight or tail light (front), about 16 in every 100 failed tests. In 2025, 52.3% of 7,253 first MOTs on the 2009 Hyundai i30 passed first time (PRS: items fixed at the station the same day, counted as a fail). The official-style rate including PRS is 62.3%. Among 3,457 failed first-attempt MOT tests (test year 2025), Anti-roll bar linkage ball joints (rear) appears more often than on similar cars (7.3% of those tests; 251 observed failures; about 20× more often than similar cars). There is no single reliability score here; this is a pre-purchase checklist built from DVSA open data, not a guarantee for any individual car.
Ranked by how often they were actually recorded, the items that most often failed a 2009 Hyundai i30 at the first attempt were Individual sidelight or tail light (front) (16.5%), Track rod end (front) (11.6%) and Brake light (10.7%), each as a share of the year's failed first attempts. That is what goes wrong most often on the car. The common faults table shows a different measure: faults that are unusual compared with similar cars.
Among failed first-attempt tests we highlight patterns that appear more often than on similar cars. Top example: Anti-roll bar linkage ball joints (rear) (7.3% of those tests; 251 observed failures; about 20× more often than similar cars). These are statistical signals, not a diagnosis of any individual car.
Anti-roll bar linkage ball joints (rear) shows up more often than on similar cars (7.3% of those tests; 251 observed failures; about 20× more often than similar cars). That does not prove a design fault. Age, mileage, and how the car was used still matter. Treat it as a pre-purchase checkpoint, not a manufacturer service bulletin.
Common MOT problem areas for the 2009 Hyundai i30 include Anti-roll bar linkage ball joints (rear), Brake hand lever, Handbrake lever. These are the faults that stand out compared with similar cars, not a complete list of what can go wrong on any individual car.
Advisories flag issues noted at the test and are not a fail rate. We show advisory patterns that appear more often than on similar cars 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 MOT failure patterns for the 2009 Hyundai i30 (registration year) using UK DVSA open data for the selected test year. Patterns are compared with cars of a similar age and mileage. It is a buyer checklist from MOT defect statistics, not a full service history or manufacturer service-bulletin 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.

About this data

How this page is built and what it can (and can't) say.

These figures come from UK MOT open data for this model year. We surface common failure patterns against similar cars, not a full reliability score, and not a pass/fail verdict on any individual vehicle.

2024 2025

What we include

UK Class 4 cars only. Normal MOT tests (not retests); first test per vehicle per calendar year; results pass, PRS, or fail.

Same-day repairs

PRS means the car 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.

How we compare

We compare this model year with other Class 4 cars of similar age and mileage in the same test year. This model family is left out of the peer group so the car is not measured against itself.

What this does not cover

  • MOTs do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronics; this is not a full reliability score.
  • Common faults come from MOT defect stats, not manufacturer TSBs or recalls.
  • Age and mileage matching reduces, but does not remove, differences in how cars were used and maintained.
  • If the data for a car is too thin to say anything useful, we say so rather than guess.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Check any vehicle’s MOT history

Full MOT history, mileage records, and reliability insights for any UK vehicle.

Run a free check