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Dacia Sandero body and structure problems

DVSA MOT tests 2022–2025 · 57,368 MOT tests · Updated

At 8 years, 8.1 in 100 MOT tests of the Dacia Sandero failed on body and structure, against 1.8 for all class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 57,368 MOT tests) [1].

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  • Against all class 4 vehicles the same age: fails 4.5–4.7× as often as all class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years), 4,628 MOT tests with a fail
  • When it starts: clear of 1.2 times from 5 years and at every older age seen
  • Most common fail: Driveshaft CV boot split, 7.2 per 100 MOT tests

Figures are for the model as a whole, not for one car.

What the MOT tests show

What we know

8.1 fails per 100 MOT tests at 8 years, against 1.8 for all class 4 vehicles tested at 8 (all test years). The Dacia Sandero fails more often here.

Why it matters

A body and structure fail stops the car passing until it is fixed; the most common one is rated major by DVSA.

What to check

Look under the sills, jacking points and rear subframe for rot, bubbling or fresh underseal over a repair, and check every door, bonnet and boot shuts properly.

Dacia Sandero body and structure fails by age

Dacia Sandero body and structure fails per 100 MOT tests by ageSolid line: the Dacia Sandero. Dashed line: all cars the same age. The table below lists every value.05103 years: 0.2 per 100 (all cars 0.3), 43,599 MOT tests34 years: 0.3 per 100 (all cars 0.3), 42,804 MOT tests45 years: 0.8 per 100 (all cars 0.5), 49,541 MOT tests56 years: 2.8 per 100 (all cars 0.8), 54,944 MOT tests67 years: 5.5 per 100 (all cars 1.3), 57,193 MOT tests78 years: 8.1 per 100 (all cars 1.8), 57,368 MOT tests89 years: 9.5 per 100 (all cars 2.3), 49,638 MOT tests910 years: 9.5 per 100 (all cars 2.9), 34,395 MOT tests1011 years: 9.9 per 100 (all cars 3.5), 19,447 MOT tests1112 years: 8.1 per 100 (all cars 4.3), 6,875 MOT tests12
Fails per 100 MOT tests by age, all first-use years pooled. Dacia Sandero All class 4 vehicles the same age
AgeMOT testsFails per 100All class 4 vehicles the same age
343,5990.20.3
442,8040.30.3
549,5410.80.5
654,9442.80.8
757,1935.51.3
857,3688.11.8
949,6389.52.3
1034,3959.52.9
1119,4479.93.5
126,8758.14.3

All first-use years of the Dacia Sandero pooled at each age, against all class 4 vehicles at that age over all 2022–2025 test years.

What fails in the body and structure at 8 years

Fails

Advisories (not fails)

Replace CV joint boot cost

Repair figures are estimates, not quotes: how we estimate repair costs.

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By engine and fuel

  • 0.9 petrol: 8.5 per 100 at 8 years, fails 5.6–6.1× as often as petrol class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 25,551 MOT tests)
  • 1.5 diesel: 10.1 per 100 at 8 years, fails 4.5–4.9× as often as diesel class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 18,164 MOT tests)
  • 1.0 petrol: 3.9 per 100 at 8 years, about average for petrol class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 3,251 MOT tests)
  • 1.1 petrol: 4.9 per 100 at 8 years, fails 3.1–3.7× as often as petrol class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 10,224 MOT tests)

How to check on a test drive

Look under the sills, jacking points and rear subframe for rot, bubbling or fresh underseal over a repair, and check every door, bonnet and boot shuts properly.

The most common advisory here in MOT records: Drive shaft joints: constant velocity boot severely deteriorated.

Check one Dacia Sandero, not the average

The figures here describe Dacia Sandero cars as a group. These free tools answer for one car. Each line says what the tool reads.

Other Dacia Sandero problems

Body and structure on rival models

Questions people ask

Does the Dacia Sandero have more body and structure problems than other cars?

4.5 to 4.7 times the body and structure fail rate of all class 4 vehicles the same age at 8 years (all test years), from 57,368 MOT tests. The interval is clear of 1.2 in the same direction at 8 of the 10 ages seen (ages up to 18 with at least 100 MOT tests with a fail).

How common are Dacia Sandero body and structure problems?

8.1 in 100 MOT tests at 8 years failed on body and structure, against 1.8 for all class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 57,368 MOT tests).

What is the most common Dacia Sandero body and structure fail?

7.2 in 100 MOT tests at 8 years: Driveshaft CV boot split (4,102 MOT tests with it).

At what age do Dacia Sandero body and structure fails start?

5 years: from then on the rate stays clear of 1.2 times all class 4 vehicles the same age at every age seen, 329,401 MOT tests.

Sources

  1. Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2022 to 2025. DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, 415,804 MOT tests. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
  2. Office for National Statistics, Consumer price inflation, local price quotes (car repair items). ONS price quotes, series 610236. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.

Parts: against all class 4 vehicles at the same age, all 2022–2025 test years pooled, not adjusted for mileage. Breakdowns and non-MOT faults are not in this data. How we compare