Model Reports 8 min read Updated 12 Jul 2026

Hyundai i30 2009: reliability & common MOT faults

Elevated MOT failure patterns for the 2009 Hyundai i30 include Linkage ball joints (rear) (~20.4× peers). Based on UK DVSA open data for test year 2025 (3,456 failed first-attempt tests), compared with similar age and mileage peers. Available test years: 2024, 2025.

3,456 failed first-attempt tests · 7,253 first tests (test year 2025)

Standout pattern: Linkage ball joints (rear) — about 20.4× more often than on similar peer cars.

Key takeaways before you buy

  • Linkage ball joints (rear): about 20.4× more often than similar cars

Common faults

These are MOT failure patterns that show up more often on this registration year than on similar cars of the same class, age band, and mileage in the same test year (leave-one-out peer comparison; whole model family excluded).

Statistical patterns from MOT defect codes — not manufacturer TSBs, recalls, or a diagnosis of any individual car. Fail and advisory patterns are kept separate.

Based on 3,456 failed first-attempt tests in test year 2025.

Linkage ball joints (rear)

This failure pattern appears about 20.4× more often than on similar peer cars — recorded on 251 failed first-attempt tests; 7.3% of failed tests for this model year.

Rear · 251 failures · ×20.4 vs similar cars · 7.3% of failed first tests · Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars

# Fault pattern Location Failures vs similar cars Share of fails Confidence
1 Linkage ball joints (rear)
Suspension > Anti-roll bars > Linkage ball joints
 Rear 251 ×20.4 7.3% Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars
2 Hand lever
Brakes > Service brake pedal or hand lever > Hand lever
 Any 79 ×4.4 2.3% Likely common fault pattern
3 Parking brake control — Lever
Brakes > Parking brake control > Lever
 Any 126 ×4.1 3.6% Likely common fault pattern
4 Ball joint dust cover (front)
Suspension > Suspension arms > Ball joint dust cover
 Front 230 ×2.8 6.7% Possible elevated fault
5 Track rod end (front)
Steering > Steering linkage components > Track rod end
 Front 402 ×2.7 11.6% Possible elevated fault
6 Track rod end
Steering > Steering linkage components > Track rod end
 Any 145 ×2.7 4.2% Possible elevated fault
7 Stop lamp (rear)
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Stop lamp
 Rear 355 ×2.1 10.3% Possible elevated fault

Only patterns that clear minimum sample and elevation thresholds are shown (at least 20 failures and 2.0× peer lift).

Wear patterns

These patterns look like wear or usage effects rather than model-specific design faults. Tyres, brake friction material, and alignment-related defects often track mileage and road use. They are not treated as a model design fault in our common-faults ranking.

# Pattern Location Failures vs similar cars Share of fails Confidence
1 Brake discs (rear)
Brakes > Mechanical brake components > Brake discs and drums > Brake discs
 Rear 130 ×3.6 3.8% Wear / usage pattern — not treated as a model design fault
2 Headlamp aim not tested (front)
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Headlamp aim > Headlamp aim not tested
 Front 34 ×2.1 1.0% Wear / usage pattern — not treated as a model design fault

Advisories

Advisory items recorded on failed first-attempt tests that appear elevated versus peers. Advisories are not a fail rate — they flag issues noted at the test, often before they become failures.

# Advisory pattern Location Notes vs similar cars Share Confidence
1 Ball joint (rear)
Suspension > Anti-roll bars > Ball joint
 Rear 64 ×15.1 1.9% Likely common fault pattern
2 Side repeaters
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Direction indicators > Flashing type > Side repeaters
 Any 98 ×13.6 2.8% Elevated vs peers
3 Steering column
Steering > Steering column
 Any 22 ×12.0 0.6% Possible elevated fault
4 Side repeaters (front)
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Direction indicators > Flashing type > Side repeaters
 Front 33 ×11.7 1.0% Elevated vs peers
5 Linkage ball joints (rear)
Suspension > Anti-roll bars > Linkage ball joints
 Rear 248 ×11.6 7.2% Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars
6 Steering rack
Steering > Steering play > Steering rack
 Any 89 ×7.3 2.6% Likely common fault pattern
7 Universal joint
Steering > Steering coupling > Universal joint
 Any 28 ×6.5 0.8% Elevated vs peers
8 Anti-roll bar (rear)
Suspension > Anti-roll bars > Anti-roll bar
 Rear 38 ×3.1 1.1% Elevated vs peers

FAQs

We do not show a single reliability score for the 2009 Hyundai i30 on this page. Among 3,456 failed first-attempt MOT tests (test year 2025), Linkage ball joints (rear) appears more often than on similar peer cars (about 20.4× more often than peers; 251 observed failures; 7.3% of failed tests). Treat this as a pre-purchase checklist from DVSA open data — not a guarantee for any individual car.
Among failed first-attempt tests we surface patterns that appear more often than on similar peer cars. Top example: Linkage ball joints (rear) (about 20.4× more often than peers; 251 observed failures; 7.3% of failed tests). These are statistical signals, not a diagnosis of any individual car.
Linkage ball joints (rear) shows up more often than on similar peer cars (about 20.4× more often than peers; 251 observed failures; 7.3% of failed tests). That does not prove a causal design fault — age, mileage, and usage still matter. Treat it as a pre-purchase check point, not a manufacturer TSB.
Common MOT problem areas for the 2009 Hyundai i30 include Linkage ball joints (rear). These are elevated versus similar peer cars where lift clears our floors — not a full list of every possible fault on an individual car.
Advisories flag issues noted at the test and are not a fail rate. We show advisory patterns that look elevated versus peers 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 elevated MOT failure patterns for the 2009 Hyundai i30 (registration year) using UK DVSA open data for the selected test year. Patterns are ranked against similar age and mileage peers. It is a buyer checklist from MOT defect statistics — not a full service history or manufacturer TSB 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.
PRS means the vehicle 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.

About this data

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

PRS policy. PRS means the vehicle 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.

Peer baseline. We compare this model year with other class 4 cars of similar age and mileage in the same test year, excluding the whole model family so the car is not compared with itself (leave-one-out peer baseline).

Data years. Test years covered: 2024, 2025.

Limitations.

  • MOT tests do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronic modules — so this is not a full reliability score.
  • Common faults are inferred from MOT defect statistics, not manufacturer TSBs or recalls.
  • Matching on age and mileage reduces but does not remove every usage or maintenance difference between cars.
  • Pass rates and star scores appear only when those data marts are available; this page never invents them.

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

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