2021 Dacia Duster — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2021 Dacia Duster passed 89.9% of its 13,298 recorded MOT tests. Small SUVs of a similar age fail 7.2% of the time, so this is 2.9pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 9.1% of tests against 4.3% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, headlamp and wipers — headlamp aim alone was recorded 941 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.6% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 29.2% once past 90-120k — 3.8× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 9.8% fail against 11.6% for diesel, a 1.8-point gap across 13,298 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 22.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 5.1% of tests failed in 2023 against 11.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 9.1% | 1,213 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.3% | 569 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.8% | 510 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.6% | 209 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.6% | 80 |
| 6 | Steering | 0.5% | 67 |
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 | 941 |
| 2 | Headlamp | 445 |
| 3 | Wipers | 373 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 322 |
| 5 | Washers | 215 |
| 6 | Headlamp levelling device | 121 |
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 | 22.0% | 2,931 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.5% | 1,403 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.1% | 806 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.1% | 283 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 0.7% | 97 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.4% | 59 |
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 | 8,030 | 7.6% |
| 30-60k | 4,828 | 13.4% |
| 60-90k | 383 | 18.0% |
| 90-120k | 48 | 29.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 10,893 | 9.8% |
| Diesel | 2,405 | 11.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 293 | 5.1% |
| 2024 | 6,339 | 9.2% |
| 2025 | 6,640 | 11.2% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Duster
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 9.1% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (9.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (4.3% 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.
- Visibility (3.8% 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.
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 Dusters pass their MOT?
89.9% of the 13,298 2021 Dacia Duster MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Dacia Duster?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 9.1% of tests, followed by tyres (4.3%).
Does the 2021 Duster get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.6% in the 0-30k band to 29.2% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 13,298 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.