Mazda MX-5 common problems

By component

What wears out on a MX-5

Failure items grouped by the part behind them, with the share of failed Mazda MX-5 tests recording each. A part can carry several DVSA wordings; they are listed beneath. One failed test often lists several items, so shares do not sum to 100%.

1. 1.Suspension bushes

   19.0% of failed tests

   Rubber bushes in arms and links perish and split with age and load; the most recorded suspension item on the test.

   • “A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc” — explained5.5%
   • “A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc” — explained4.9%
   • “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained3.4%
   • “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained3.2%

   Across all cars, suspension bushes failures climb 20-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long suspension bushes last

2. 2.Catalytic converter and emissions

   18.7% of failed tests

   Catalysts degrade with age and misfires; a failed emissions reading is usually the catalyst, a lambda sensor or a tired engine.

   • “Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer” — explained8.7%
   • “Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits” — explained5.0%
   • “Emissions levels exceed default limits” — explained2.9%
   • “Emissions levels exceed default limits” — explained2.1%

3. 3.Suspension arms and mountings

   18.1% of failed tests

   Arms bend on impact and mountings corrode into the body; a corroded mounting is a structural item and fails as one.

   • “The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired” — explained15.5%
   • “The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired” — explained2.6%

4. 4.Tyres

   16.7% of failed tests

   Tread wears with every mile and sidewalls age and take kerb damage; the legal minimum is 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters.

   • “Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements” — explained4.8%
   • “A tyre seriously damaged” — explained4.8%
   • “A tyre seriously damaged” — explained4.5%
   • “A tyre cords visible or damaged” — explained2.6%

   Across all cars, tyres failures run at a similar rate at every age, because they are replaced on a cycle rather than wearing out with the car. How long tyres last

5. 5.Bulbs and lamps

   15.9% of failed tests

   Filament bulbs simply expire; the cheapest and most avoidable failure on the test, and one of the most recorded.

   • “A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning” — explained7.6%
   • “A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED” — explained3.7%
   • “A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps” — explained2.5%
   • “An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning” — explained2.1%

   Across all cars, bulbs and lamps failures climb 15-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long bulbs and lamps last

6. 6.Coil springs

   15.6% of failed tests

   Springs fatigue and corrode where the coating chips, then snap, often at the bottom coil; potholes and salt accelerate it.

   • “A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened” — explained15.6%

   Across all cars, coil springs failures climb 20-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 12–14 years. How long coil springs last

7. 7.Body and structure

   13.8% of failed tests

   Structural corrosion within 30 cm of a seat belt, suspension or steering mounting fails; it is a disease of age, salt and wet storage.

   • “Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced” — explained6.7%
   • “Body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point” — explained4.2%
   • “Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced” — explained2.9%

8. 8.Wiper blades and washers

   12.1% of failed tests

   Rubber blades harden and split within a year or two; washer jets block and pumps fail.

   • “Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen” — explained8.2%
   • “Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen” — explained3.9%

   Across all cars, wiper blades and washers failures run at a similar rate at every age, because they are replaced on a cycle rather than wearing out with the car. How long wiper blades and washers last

By registration year

MX-5 problems by year

MOT pass rate for Mazda MX-5 cars by the year they were first registered, from years with at least 1,000 tests. Every car in a row is the same age, so the rate is raw. Neighbouring years differ by a year of wear — a step of a point or two is age. The step at 2015, up 4.9 points, is larger than wear explains and most likely marks a change in the cars themselves.

Last column: change on the previous year, in points. Years registered within the last three years have not yet been tested and are not shown.

Before it fails

What testers warn MX-5 owners about

Advisories are the same parts a year or two earlier. Share of all Mazda MX-5 tests carrying an advisory for each.

• Tyres30.8% of tests
• Suspension arms and mountings25.3% of tests
• Brake discs17.0% of tests
• Suspension bushes11.6% of tests
• Brake pads and shoes8.3% of tests

Go deeper

The rest of the MX-5 file

• Mazda MX-5: pass rate, ranking and the full failure record
• Is a MX-5's mileage high for its age?
• Every Mazda model compared
• Check a specific car's MOT history

Common questions

What are the most common problems with a Mazda MX-5?

Going by what fails the MOT, suspension bushes (recorded in 19.0% of failed tests), catalytic converter and emissions (recorded in 18.7% of failed tests), and suspension arms and mountings (recorded in 18.1% of failed tests). These are the items testers actually record across 90,753 tests, not reports from owners, so they describe what goes wrong at the point where it has to be fixed.

Which Mazda MX-5 year is the most reliable?

By MOT pass rate, Mazda MX-5 cars registered in 2021 do best at 94.6% and 2000 cars do worst at 63.3%. Most of that ordering is simply age — newer cars pass more — so read the year table for steps larger than a couple of points between neighbouring years; those mark a change in the cars rather than the calendar. The largest such step is at 2015, up 4.9 points on 2014.

Is the Mazda MX-5 reliable?

Adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, the Mazda MX-5 passes 77.2% of MOTs against a national 72.3%. An MOT measures roadworthiness on the day rather than breakdowns or running costs, so this is a reliability measure in the narrow sense: how often the car meets the legal standard, and what stops it.

What should I check when buying a used Mazda MX-5?

Start with what fails most: suspension bushes, tyres, bulbs and lamps. Then read the car's own MOT history for advisories carried year to year without repair — the model tells you what to expect, the history tells you whether this owner dealt with it.