Dacia Sandero Essential Tce MOT pass rate & common failures
The Dacia Sandero Essential Tce appears in 1,640 MOT tests spanning model years 2021–2024, and 92.8% of them passed. All cars of a similar age fail 8.6% of the time, so this is 1.4pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are visibility, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (4.2%) and tyres (3.5%) 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 washers — headlamp aim alone was recorded 55 times.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 17.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every Sandero Essential Tce model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,454 | 92.8% | 7.2% | Visibility |
| 2022 | 153 | 92.8% | 7.2% | Visibility |
| 2023 | 31 | 93.5% | 6.5% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 4.2% | 69 |
| 2 | Tyres | 3.5% | 57 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.6% | 42 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.6% | 26 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.3% | 5 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.3% | 5 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 0.3% | 5 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.2% | 4 |
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 | 55 |
| 2 | Wipers | 49 |
| 3 | Washers | 32 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 29 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 16 |
| 6 | Electronic stability control | 6 |
| 7 | Brake discs | 6 |
| 8 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 6 |
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 | 17.4% | 285 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.7% | 127 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.7% | 61 |
| 4 | Other defects | 3.3% | 54 |
| 5 | Road wheels | 1.5% | 24 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.2% | 20 |
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 | 1,202 | 5.7% |
| 30-60k | 412 | 11.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 720 | 5.3% |
| 2025 | 915 | 8.7% |
What to check before buying a Dacia Sandero Essential Tce
- Visibility (4.2% 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 (3.5% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (2.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Dacia Sandero Essential Tce?
92.8% of the 1,640 Dacia Sandero Essential Tce MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 7.2% fail rate, across model years 2021–2024.
What does the Dacia Sandero Essential Tce most often fail its MOT on?
Visibility, recorded in 4.2% of tests, then tyres (3.5%).
Methodology & source. Based on 1,640 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.