Used car guide

2015 Mazda 3: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2015 Mazda 3s, from 11,663 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

11,663MOT tests in 2025
70%pass first time (all 2015 cars: 72%)
7,300typical miles a year
5.4×the usual rate for rigid brake pipes

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2015 Mazda 3s than on all cars registered in 2015.

  • Rigid brake pipes5.4× usual
    Mazda 3
    13.4% All 2015 cars
    2.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.8%, against 0.3% of all 2015 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.

  • Coil springs2.1× usual
    Mazda 3
    11.4% All 2015 cars
    5.4%

    Failed outright at MOT: 9.6%, against 3% of all 2015 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £175–£400 (pair, one axle) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Look behind each wheel for a snapped spring coil, and listen for a clunk or twang when turning the wheel lock to lock with the car stopped.

  • Suspension arm3.2× usual
    Mazda 3
    3.8% All 2015 cars
    1.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.1%, against 0.1% of all 2015 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

  • Sub-frame2.2× usual
    Mazda 3
    3.5% All 2015 cars
    1.6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0%, against 0.1% of all 2015 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

Better than most

Shock absorbers: 1.6% here, against 5.2% of all 2015 cars.

By area

The share of 2015 Mazda 3 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Brakes
    35% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Suspension
    31% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Tyres
    29% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Lights and electrics
    9% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    6% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Seats and seatbelts
    3% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

Looking at a Mazda 3?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20222,569Tyres 24%
20214,089Tyres 25%
20204,323Tyres 28%
20194,461Tyres 30%
20187,048Tyres 31%
20178,198Brakes 34%
201610,503Brakes 34%
20148,180Brakes 35%
20135,008Suspension 45%
20124,696Suspension 52%
20115,081Suspension 53%
20107,577Suspension 56%
20096,643Suspension 57%
20085,313Suspension 63%
20074,171Suspension 63%
20062,935Suspension 62%
20051,965Suspension 62%
2004552Suspension 61%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2015 Mazda 3s registered in 2015. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score