2020 Dacia Duster — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 20,750 MOT tests, the 2020 Dacia Duster recorded an 89.5% pass rate. That is 2.5 percentage points worse than small SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 7.9%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 10.8% of all tests — 6.2 points clear of visibility, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, headlamp and wipers — headlamp aim alone was recorded 1,726 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.9% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 24.2% once past 90-120k — 3.5× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 1.8pp more often than petrol ones (12.0% vs 10.2%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 21.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 3.6% of tests failed in 2022 against 13.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.8% | 2,234 |
| 2 | Visibility | 4.5% | 945 |
| 3 | Tyres | 3.7% | 775 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.8% | 384 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.9% | 185 |
| 6 | Steering | 0.8% | 169 |
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 | 1,726 |
| 2 | Headlamp | 808 |
| 3 | Wipers | 706 |
| 4 | Washers | 394 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 385 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 214 |
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 | 21.1% | 4,388 |
| 2 | Brakes | 13.5% | 2,791 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.4% | 1,330 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.5% | 530 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 1.2% | 249 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.6% | 117 |
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 | 11,262 | 6.9% |
| 30-60k | 8,332 | 13.9% |
| 60-90k | 996 | 20.3% |
| 90-120k | 128 | 24.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 18,102 | 10.2% |
| Diesel | 2,643 | 12.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 335 | 3.6% |
| 2023 | 6,735 | 7.8% |
| 2024 | 6,675 | 10.3% |
| 2025 | 6,988 | 13.5% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Duster
On a 2020 Duster, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 10.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (10.8% 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 (3.7% 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 2020 Dacia Dusters pass their MOT?
89.5% of the 20,750 2020 Dacia Duster MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Dacia Duster?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.8% of tests, followed by visibility (4.5%).
Does the 2020 Duster get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.9% in the 0-30k band to 24.2% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 20,750 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.