MOT fail rates
Dacia Sandero MOT fail rate by age
How often the Dacia Sandero fails its MOT at each age, compared with all cars of the same age, and what it fails on. From 415,804 DVSA MOT tests taken 2022 to 2025.
MOT data updated
At 8 years, the most tested age
290 of 315 model groups with enough tests fail less often at 8 years.
What stands out
- At 3 years the Dacia Sandero fails 13.7% of MOTs (43,599 tests), 1.6 points above the 12.1% for all cars that age. At 12 years it fails 41.9% (6,875 tests), 5.9 points above the 36.0% average.
- The gap is widest at 8 years: 12.7 points above all cars.
- Its most common structural or mechanical fail item at 8 years: Driveshaft CV boot split, at 8.5 per 100 MOTs.
MOT fail rate by age
Solid line: this model. Dashed line: all cars at the same age.
| Age | MOT fail rate | Tests (n) | All cars | Difference | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 13.7% | 43,599 | 12.1% | +1.6 pts | 17,093 miles |
| 4 years | 19.9% | 42,804 | 13.4% | +6.6 pts | 22,619 miles |
| 5 years | 22.0% | 49,541 | 15.3% | +6.7 pts | 29,532 miles |
| 6 years | 25.9% | 54,944 | 17.8% | +8.1 pts | 36,840 miles |
| 7 years | 31.5% | 57,193 | 20.6% | +10.9 pts | 44,779 miles |
| 8 years | 36.5% | 57,368 | 23.8% | +12.7 pts | 52,914 miles |
| 9 years | 39.9% | 49,638 | 27.1% | +12.7 pts | 59,943 miles |
| 10 years | 42.6% | 34,395 | 30.3% | +12.3 pts | 66,351 miles |
| 11 years | 43.4% | 19,447 | 33.3% | +10.1 pts | 72,405 miles |
| 12 years | 41.9% | 6,875 | 36.0% | +5.9 pts | 76,035 miles |
Most common fail items at 8 years
Split into structural or mechanical items and wear items. Wear items (tyres, brake pads, wipers, bulbs) say more about upkeep than about the design.
Structural and mechanical
| Fail item | Per 100 MOTs |
|---|---|
| Driveshaft CV boot split Major | 8.5 |
| Coil spring broken Major | 6 |
| Suspension ball joint worn Major | 3.9 |
Out of 57,368 MOTs. A test with two faults counts twice.
Wear and upkeep
| Fail item | Per 100 MOTs |
|---|---|
| Headlamp aim: too low Major | 5.3 |
| Tyre tread below 1.6 mm Dangerous | 3.7 |
| Wipers not clearing screen Major | 3.3 |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Major | 2.8 |
| Horn: not working Major | 2.6 |
| Brake pads under 1.5 mm Dangerous | 2.3 |
| Dipped headlight not working Major | 2.2 |
Out of 57,368 MOTs. A test with two faults counts twice.
Other models at 8 years
| Model | MOT fail rate | Tests (n) | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dacia Duster | 32.2% | 25,310 | 23.8% |
| Dacia Logan | 32.2% | 10,422 | 23.8% |
| Ford Fiesta | 29.3% | 459,355 | 23.8% |
MOT fail rate by first-use year
Each year has its own page: the fail rate for cars first used that year at each MOT from 2022 to 2025 with at least 1,000 tests, the most common faults at that age, and the car tax and ULEZ rules for that year.
First-use year data updated .
| First used | Age at test | MOT fail rate | Tests (n) | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 12 years in 2025 | 42.0% | 6,857 | 36.0% |
| 2014 | 11 years in 2025 | 45.3% | 12,158 | 33.3% |
| 2015 | 10 years in 2025 | 44.0% | 14,274 | 30.3% |
| 2016 | 9 years in 2025 | 38.3% | 14,329 | 27.1% |
| 2017 | 8 years in 2025 | 34.2% | 14,673 | 23.8% |
| 2018 | 7 years in 2025 | 28.8% | 12,542 | 20.6% |
| 2019 | 6 years in 2025 | 24.4% | 12,572 | 17.8% |
| 2020 | 5 years in 2025 | 21.1% | 9,075 | 15.3% |
| 2021 | 4 years in 2025 | 14.1% | 8,114 | 13.4% |
| 2022 | 3 years in 2025 | 10.9% | 13,211 | 12.1% |
More on the Dacia Sandero
Looking at one Dacia Sandero?
These are figures for the model, not for one car. The VetTheCar Buying Report looks at a single car: its MOT tests, defects, advisories and mileage readings.
Source
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025. MOT data updated 22 September 2026.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources