2017 Dacia Duster — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2017 Dacia Duster passed 86.7% of its 36,680 recorded MOT tests. That is 1.4 percentage points worse than small SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 11.9%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 8.3% of all tests — 3.8 points clear of visibility, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, coil spring and wipers — headlamp aim alone was recorded 2,049 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 5.9% in the 0-30k band and 26.2% in the 150k+ band, a 20.2-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.1pp more often than petrol ones (14.1% vs 12.0%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 22.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 7.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 19.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.3% | 3,044 |
| 2 | Visibility | 4.5% | 1,667 |
| 3 | Tyres | 3.9% | 1,416 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.5% | 1,301 |
| 5 | Brakes | 3.0% | 1,086 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.9% | 690 |
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 | 2,049 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 1,206 |
| 3 | Wipers | 1,124 |
| 4 | Washers | 896 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 818 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 788 |
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 | 22.8% | 8,348 |
| 2 | Brakes | 15.2% | 5,574 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.2% | 2,627 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.2% | 1,159 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.7% | 992 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 2.6% | 959 |
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 | 9,683 | 5.9% |
| 30-60k | 17,524 | 13.2% |
| 60-90k | 7,321 | 20.3% |
| 90-120k | 1,672 | 22.7% |
| 120-150k | 344 | 25.3% |
| 150k+ | 130 | 26.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 23,685 | 14.1% |
| Petrol | 12,995 | 12.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 6,975 | 7.6% |
| 2022 | 7,111 | 9.7% |
| 2023 | 7,358 | 13.2% |
| 2024 | 7,538 | 16.3% |
| 2025 | 7,698 | 19.0% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Duster
On a 2017 Duster, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 8.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (8.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (4.5% 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 (3.9% 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 2017 Dacia Dusters pass their MOT?
86.7% of the 36,680 2017 Dacia Duster MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Dacia Duster?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.3% of tests, followed by visibility (4.5%).
Does the 2017 Duster get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.9% in the 0-30k band to 26.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 36,680 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.