Used car guide

2004 Mazda Bongo: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2004 Mazda Bongos, from 515 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

515MOT tests in 2025
63%pass first time (all 2004 cars: 58%)
5,100typical miles a year
4.4×the usual rate for rear fog light

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2004 Mazda Bongos than on all cars registered in 2004.

  • Rear fog light4.4× usual
    Mazda Bongo
    6.6% All 2004 cars
    1.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 6.2%, against 1.5% of all 2004 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

  • Body structure rust or damage2.2× usual
    Mazda Bongo
    7.4% All 2004 cars
    3.4%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.1%, against 1% of all 2004 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £150–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath and along the sills for flaky rust or fresh underseal hiding it.

Better than most

Tread depth: 8.2% here, against 18.7% of all 2004 cars. Rigid brake pipes: 6.6% here, against 17.1% of all 2004 cars.

By area

The share of 2004 Mazda Bongo MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    37% 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.

  • Lights and electrics
    32% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Brakes
    27% 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
    20% 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.

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    18% 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.

  • Rust and bodywork
    15% of testsRough price £150–£1,000

    At the viewing: Check the sills, wheel arches and underneath for rust, and look along the panels for uneven gaps or paint.

Looking at a Mazda Bongo?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2005588Suspension 44%
2002597Suspension 32%
2001542Lights and electrics 36%
2000501Suspension 38%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2004 Mazda Bongos registered in 2004. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score