2016 Vauxhall Zafira 1.4L Petrol · KP66 LLR

The most recent DVSA examination on 14 May 2026 resulted in a PASS certificate with no advisories or defects recorded, following an earlier fail on 6 May 2026 concerning a nearside rear passenger door that could not be opened from outside the vehicle. That door issue, while a Class A vehicle construction defect, is isolated and bears no mechanical relation to the running gear. Looking at the broader pattern, the maintenance trajectory is broadly stable but not without warning signs. Between 2022 and 2025 the Zafira accumulated recurring advisories relating to front suspension top mounts and strut bushes, culminating in August 2025 when those components were deemed excessively worn and caused a fail, alongside a separate ABS warning lamp indication. The subsequent pass in August 2025 still carried advisories for the front brake discs and an offside rear brake pipe. While no defects were recorded at the latest test, the density of suspension and braking advisories across consecutive tests suggests progressive wear rather than isolated events, and a prospective buyer should treat this trend as ongoing rather than resolved. The recorded mileage of 131,571 miles against an approximately ten-year age equates to around 13,157 miles per year, which is notably above the national average for a vehicle of this type and points to consistent, possibly motorway-fleet style usage. There are no unusual mileage gaps in the MOT record; the vehicle has been in regular use throughout its life. High accumulated mileage of this nature on a Zafira typically accelerates wear on engine oil control systems, clutch and dual mass flywheel components, turbocharger bearings, and suspension bushes, all of which are load-sensitive. The annual rate suggests brake pads, discs, tyres, drive belts and the timing chain or belt interval will all be due or approaching replacement on a calendar basis, irrespective of recent MOT outcomes. The high mileage also means any service history stamps should be carefully verified, as missing intervals at this odometer reading can foreshadow expensive remedial work, particularly around the 1.4 litre turbocharged engine favoured in later Tourer models where oil consumption and turbo failure are recognised concerns. A physical inspection should therefore begin with the front suspension, the component group most heavily flagged in the MOT history. The upper Macpherson strut top mounts and bushes were first noted as worn in 2023, became an advisory on both sides in 2024, and progressed to a fail item on both sides in 2025. A test drive on uneven surfaces, particularly over speed humps or transverse ridges, should be listened to for clonking or knocking noises from the front corners, which would indicate the top mounts have again degraded. Visual inspection in the engine bay should look for signs of fresh replacement of the strut assemblies or conversely any evidence of oil weeping from the struts themselves, which is common once mileage passes 120,000. Similarly, the ABS warning lamp that illuminated in 2025 should be verified as having been professionally diagnosed and rectified; a remaining or intermittently recurring ABS light typically points to a wheel speed sensor, reluctor ring contamination, or less commonly the ABS control module, and a scan tool check prior to purchase would be prudent. The braking system also warrants close attention. The front brake discs were recorded as pitted and scored in 2025, and while not a fail at the time, discs on a vehicle of this mileage and age will often have reached minimum thickness and require replacement. On a test drive, any brake shudder through the steering wheel under firm pedal application, or a pulsing brake pedal, would indicate disc run-out or warping. The offside rear brake pipe advisory concerning corrosion covered in grease is more concerning than it first appears; this often masks underlying pipe surface corrosion, and a thorough underbody inspection or borescope check of the affected pipe section should be undertaken, as replacement of corroded brake lines on a ten-year-old Zafira is not uncommon. Additionally, the front tyres which were close to legal limit in 2024 should be inspected for age-related sidewall perishing given the vehicle's ten-year calendar age, and the condition of the rear brake calipers should be checked for binding after periods of standing, which can lead to uneven pad wear and pulling under braking. Given the high mileage, verifying recent replacement of the timing belt or chain service, coolant, brake fluid, and transmission fluid should form part of any pre-purchase enquiries, as these are calendar and mileage interval items that do not appear on an MOT but remain critical to the vehicle's continuing roadworthiness.