Used car guide

2013 Mazda 6: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2013 Mazda 6s, from 3,778 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

3,778MOT tests in 2025
66%pass first time (all 2013 cars: 66%)
8,800typical miles a year
2.7×the usual rate for ball joint

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2013 Mazda 6s than on all cars registered in 2013.

  • Ball joint2.7× usual
    Mazda 6
    13.4% All 2013 cars
    5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 9.1%, against 2.7% of all 2013 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

  • Suspension arm5.1× usual
    Mazda 6
    10.2% All 2013 cars
    2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.4%, against 0.1% of all 2013 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.

  • Rigid brake pipes1.8× usual
    Mazda 6
    8.4% All 2013 cars
    4.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.2%, against 0.6% of all 2013 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.

  • Sub-frame1.7× usual
    Mazda 6
    6.4% All 2013 cars
    3.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0%, against 0.2% of all 2013 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: 2.3% here, against 6% of all 2013 cars. Exhaust system: 1.1% here, against 4.6% of all 2013 cars.

By area

The share of 2013 Mazda 6 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    44% 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.

  • Brakes
    33% 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.

  • Tyres
    32% 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
    16% 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
    7% of testsRough price £15–£250

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

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    4% of testsRough price £80–£600

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.

Looking at a Mazda 6?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2022716Tyres 16%
2021658Tyres 23%
20201,048Tyres 24%
20194,395Tyres 27%
20183,210Tyres 29%
20174,653Tyres 30%
20166,752Suspension 30%
20156,282Suspension 36%
20145,727Suspension 41%
20122,571Suspension 45%
20113,366Suspension 45%
20104,225Suspension 49%
20093,024Suspension 51%
20082,532Suspension 52%
20071,782Suspension 57%
2006972Suspension 51%
2005566Suspension 55%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2013 Mazda 6s registered in 2013. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score