2021 Dacia Duster Essential Tce 4X2 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2021 Dacia Duster Essential Tce 4X2 passed 89.3% of its 1,928 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail 8.6% of the time, so this is 2.1pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (8.8%) and visibility (5.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, wipers and headlamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 111 times.
A 60-90k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 22.0% versus 7.7%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 17.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 5.9% of tests failed in 2023 against 12.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.8% | 169 |
| 2 | Visibility | 5.9% | 114 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.2% | 81 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.3% | 45 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.1% | 22 |
| 6 | Steering | 0.5% | 10 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 111 |
| 2 | Wipers | 102 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 69 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 56 |
| 5 | Washers | 41 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 22 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 17.9% | 346 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.7% | 206 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.5% | 145 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.9% | 55 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.9% | 17 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.8% | 16 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 1,225 | 7.7% |
| 30-60k | 644 | 15.7% |
| 60-90k | 50 | 22.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 68 | 5.9% |
| 2024 | 906 | 9.5% |
| 2025 | 948 | 12.2% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Duster Essential Tce 4X2
On a 2021 Duster Essential Tce 4X2, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 8.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (8.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (5.9% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Tyres (4.2% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2021 Dacia Duster Essential Tce 4X2s pass their MOT?
89.3% of the 1,928 2021 Dacia Duster Essential Tce 4X2 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Dacia Duster Essential Tce 4X2?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.8% of tests, followed by visibility (5.9%).
Does the 2021 Duster Essential Tce 4X2 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.7% in the 0-30k band to 22.0% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,928 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.