What goes wrong, what it costs, and what to check before you buy a used Great Wall Steed.
The Great Wall Steed occupies a niche position on the UK market.
We track 5 known issues across the Great Wall Steed range, including 1 rated as safety-critical. Knowing which variants and configurations to approach with caution can save you from expensive surprises after purchase.
Found a Great Wall Steed? Enter the reg to see which of our 5 known issues apply to that exact car, plus full MOT history and mileage checks.
GWS1 (2012–2018) — Engine options included the 2.0 TDI. Our database flags 5 known issues on this generation, 1 of which are rated as safety-critical. The most significant concern is Brake pipe corrosion (£200–£500 to address).
The brake pipes on the Great Wall Steed corrode at 26.5 times the national fleet average, particularly affecting vehicles from 20,000 miles onwards. This represents one of the highest documented brake pipe corrosion rates in the UK MOT database. The failure affects the entire brake system and creates an immediate safety risk. Corrosion typically begins at pipe joints and mounting points where moisture accumulates.
Brake pipe failure results in complete or partial brake system failure. The vehicle becomes extremely dangerous to drive and may not stop effectively in an emergency. Professional brake pipe replacement is essential and the car should not be driven until repaired.
Check brake disc condition for lipping or scoring. Test braking at moderate speed for pulling to one side or vibration through the steering wheel. Review MOT advisories for brake-related items.
Suspension pins, bushes and joints wear at 1254.5 times the national fleet average on the Great Wall Steed, making this the most severe documented suspension wear issue in the UK MOT database. The excessive wear rate suggests inadequate component specification or poor material quality. Failure affects vehicle handling, tyre wear, and roadworthiness.
Worn suspension components compromise vehicle stability and handling, particularly during emergency manoeuvres. Continued driving with severely worn components can lead to complete joint failure and loss of control. Early replacement prevents more expensive damage to other suspension parts and tyres.
Listen for knocking, clunking or rattling over bumps during the test drive. Inspect the underside for corroded or cracked suspension components. Check the MOT history for suspension-related advisories, which often predict future failures.
Transmission components including joints, belts, chains and shaft bearings fail at extremely high rates on the Great Wall Steed. Joint and belt wear occurs at 5 times the average rate. These failures typically manifest from 40,000 miles onwards and suggest fundamental transmission design or material quality issues.
Transmission component failure can result in sudden loss of drive or inability to change gears. Continued operation with worn bearings or joints leads to complete transmission failure requiring rebuild or replacement. Costs can exceed the vehicle's value.
Check each gear engages smoothly without crunching. Feel the clutch bite point — very high or very low can indicate wear. Listen for bearing noise when the clutch is depressed.
Wheel bearings develop excessive play at 27.8 times the national fleet average on the Great Wall Steed, with the problem worsening over time. Bearing failure typically begins from 40,000 miles but can occur as early as 20,000 miles. This represents a significant safety concern as wheel bearing collapse can cause wheel detachment.
Severely worn wheel bearings can seize or collapse completely, potentially causing wheel detachment and loss of vehicle control. Even moderate wear affects braking efficiency and steering response. Replacement is essential before bearings reach the point of complete failure.
Listen for knocking, clunking or rattling over bumps during the test drive. Inspect the underside for corroded or cracked suspension components. Check the MOT history for suspension-related advisories, which often predict future failures.
The engine management light illuminates at This indicates a fault detected by the engine management system, commonly relating to emissions control components, sensors, or fuel system issues on diesel variants.
While the engine may continue to run with the management light on, underlying faults can worsen if left unaddressed. Some faults may put the engine into a reduced power mode. Professional diagnostic scanning is required to identify the specific fault code and necessary repairs.
Check for any engine warning lights on the dashboard. Ask about the car's MOT emissions history — repeated failures suggest underlying issues. A pre-purchase diagnostic scan is especially worthwhile to check for stored emissions fault codes.
For the full breakdown of all 5 tracked issues with repair costs, see the Great Wall Steed common problems page.
Based on 4k real DVSA MOT tests, the Great Wall Steed fails more often than average on several items. The biggest outlier is coil springs broken at 1255x the fleet average, followed by transmission shaft bearing worn (1014x).
When viewing a specific car, check its MOT history for recurring advisories in these categories. See the full Great Wall Steed MOT failure breakdown for data at every mileage point.
Routine servicing (oil and filter change every 10k miles) typically costs £80–£150 at an independent garage.
The bigger-ticket items to budget for include timing belt and tensioner (£400–£600).
See the full Great Wall Steed service schedule for every interval and cost breakdown.
The Great Wall Steed has some well-documented weak points, including 1 safety-critical issue that demand careful checking. The right example, properly maintained, can still be a sound purchase — but cutting corners on the pre-purchase inspection is not advisable.
Before committing, check the car's full MOT history, verify the service record is complete, and if possible arrange a specialist inspection. Enter any registration into our free report to see the complete picture.
Get Car Wise maintains a database of known mechanical issues for every popular car on UK roads, tracking the faults that owners, specialists and DVSA data reveal.
When you run a report on a specific Great Wall Steed, we cross-reference the exact variant, engine and age against our database of 5 known issues. Combined with full MOT history analysis, mileage verification and DVLA data, you get a complete picture before viewing.
Enter the registration for MOT history, mileage verification, known faults for that exact variant, and a Get Car Wise Score.
This guide was compiled from independent expert reviews, DVSA MOT data, specialist workshops and our own database of 5 known Great Wall Steed issues. We are not affiliated with any source listed.