Common problems
Dacia Duster common problems
What MOT testers find on the Dacia Duster: the parts that fail or get advisories most often at each age, against all cars of the same age. From 274,804 DVSA MOT tests taken 2022 to 2025.
MOT data updated
At 3 years, the most tested age
What stands out
- Lights and electrics fails show up on 8.2 of every 100 MOTs of a Dacia Duster at 3 years old (n=43,431), against 2.9 for all cars of that age (n=8,016,463).
- Tyres fails are less common: 3.8 per 100 MOTs against 4.8 for all cars at the same age.
- The fail item testers record most often at 3 years: dipped headlight not working, on 2.5 per 100 MOTs (all cars 0.3).
- The most common advisory or minor defect: tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge, on 12.6 per 100 MOTs.
Problems by part at 3 years
How many of every 100 MOTs found a fail, or an advisory or minor defect, in each area. A test with faults in two areas counts in both.
| Area | Fails | All cars | Advisories | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lights and electrics | 8.2 | 2.9 | 0.4 | 0.7 |
| Tyres | 3.8 | 4.8 | 17.5 | 18.1 |
| Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 3.1 | 2.8 | 1.8 | 2.8 |
| Brakes | 1.2 | 1.7 | 7.7 | 8.8 |
| Body and structure | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
| Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Seat belts and airbags | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.1 |
| Steering | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Suspension | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 1.9 |
| Number plates and VIN | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.5 |
| Road wheels | under 0.1 | 0.1 | under 0.1 | 0.4 |
What testers fail most on the Duster at 3 years
| Item | Area | Per 100 MOTs | All cars | Typical repair (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dipped headlight not working | Lights and electrics | 2.5 | 0.3 | £18 to £86 per lamp |
| Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect | Lights and electrics | 2.0 | 0.1 | £16 to £39 per car (rough guide) |
| Wipers not clearing screen | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 1.6 | 1.9 | £15 to £30 per blade |
| Tyre tread below 1.6 mm | Tyres | 1.6 | 1.3 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Headlamp aim: too low | Lights and electrics | 1.5 | 0.6 | £16 to £39 per car (rough guide) |
| Headlight aimed too high | Lights and electrics | 1.3 | 0.9 | £16 to £39 per car (rough guide) |
| Tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords | Tyres | 1.2 | 1.8 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 1.0 | 0.6 | £2 to £14 per car (rough guide) |
| Tyre with cords exposed | Tyres | 0.6 | 1.0 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Headlamp levelling device: inoperative | Lights and electrics | 0.6 | under 0.1 |
Early warnings: advisories and minor defects at 3 years
Advisories and minor defects are recorded, but the car still passes. Across all cars, a part with an advisory or minor defect failed at the next MOT 5.5 times in 100 (n=88,666,940 pairs of consecutive MOTs), against 0.3 times in 100 when the same part had none (n=12,936,860,350).
| Item | Area | Per 100 MOTs | All cars | If it needs replacing (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge | Tyres | 12.6 | 11.8 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing | Tyres | 3.5 | 3.7 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened | Brakes | 3.4 | 3.9 | £148 to £376 per axle (rough guide) |
| Brake pads: wearing thin | Brakes | 3.3 | 4.8 | £72 to £174 per axle (rough guide) |
| Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt | Other | 3.0 | 2.1 | |
| Brake discs: worn, but not excessively | Brakes | 2.1 | 1.1 | £148 to £376 per axle (rough guide) |
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge | Tyres | 1.9 | 1.8 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Nail in tyre | Other | 1.9 | 2.3 | |
| Items removed from driver's view prior to test | Other | 1.0 | 0.7 | |
| Tyre condition: has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords | Tyres | 1.0 | 2.0 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
Repair estimates are a guide for an independent garage: labour at the national median local garage rate (median £78 an hour from 65 garages, ONS price quotes) times estimated labour hours, plus a parts band. Labour hours and most parts bands are estimates, not quotes, and prices vary by model, engine and region. A warning light fault shows the cost of the diagnosis only.
How problems change with age
| Age | Tests (n) | Lights and electrics | Tyres | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 43,431 | 8.2 | 3.8 | 3.1 |
| 4 years | 40,935 | 11.0 | 4.0 | 5.3 |
| 5 years | 38,500 | 12.6 | 4.1 | 7.0 |
| 6 years | 37,186 | 13.3 | 4.8 | 6.4 |
| 7 years | 28,180 | 13.3 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| 8 years | 25,310 | 14.9 | 5.8 | 6.0 |
| 9 years | 25,433 | 17.0 | 5.9 | 6.0 |
| 10 years | 18,043 | 19.1 | 6.3 | 6.6 |
| 11 years | 11,823 | 19.7 | 6.2 | 7.2 |
| 12 years | 5,963 | 20.7 | 6.5 | 8.0 |
Mileage
At 3 years, Dacia Duster cars showing under 30,000 miles failed 12.1% of MOTs (n=33,135); the band that failed most, 30,000 to 60,000 miles, failed 23.7% (n=9,635). For pass and fail rates by age, see Dacia Duster MOT fail rates.
What to check on a viewing
On the Dacia Duster, testers most often record dipped headlight not working; headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect; wipers not clearing screen. Look at these first, then the areas below.
Lights and electrics
- With someone outside, try every light: dipped and main beam, indicators, brake lights, fog lights and number plate lamps.
- Check that the warning lights come on with the ignition and go out once the engine runs.
- Look for misted, cracked or yellowed headlamp lenses.
Tyres
- Check the tread across the full width of all four tyres, and the spare if there is one.
- Look for cuts, bulges and cracking in the sidewalls.
- Wear on one edge only can point to worn suspension or the tracking being out.
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
- Look for chips or cracks in the windscreen, above all in front of the driver.
- Run the wipers and washers: they should clear the screen without smearing.
- Check that the mirrors are present, secure and not cracked.
Ask for the car's MOT history and service record: advisories that repeat from one year to the next show what has been left. GOV.UK MOT history.
Questions
What are the most common problems on the Dacia Duster?
At 3 years, the age with the most MOT tests (43,431), the fail items testers record most often on the Dacia Duster are dipped headlight not working (2.5 per 100 MOTs), headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect (2.0 per 100 MOTs), wipers not clearing screen (1.6 per 100 MOTs). The most common advisories or minor defects are tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (12.6) and tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (3.5).
Which parts of the Dacia Duster fail more often than on other cars?
At 3 years: lights and electrics (8.2 per 100 MOTs against 2.9 for all cars). Compared with 8,016,463 MOTs of all cars the same age.
Dacia Duster problems by area
More on the Dacia Duster
Other Dacia models
The all cars figures cover all class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans) tested at the same age.
Looking at a Dacia Duster?
These figures describe the model, not the car in front of you. Found one you might buy? See what the VetTheCar Buying Report covers, or use the tools that work without a registration.
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Repair estimates: ONS consumer price quotes for local garage labour (09/2025 to 08/2026), the MOT inspection manual for defect wording, and estimated labour hours and parts bands. Not affiliated with or endorsed by ONS.
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 28 September 2026.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources