2021 Dacia Sandero Stepway Essential Tce — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 1,093 MOT tests, the 2021 Dacia Sandero Stepway Essential Tce recorded a 92.2% pass rate. All cars of a similar age fail at 8.7%, so the 2021 Sandero Stepway Essential Tce sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in visibility, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (4.3%) and brakes (2.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and brake pads — wipers alone was recorded 52 times.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 22.3% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 4.3% | 47 |
| 2 | Brakes | 2.9% | 32 |
| 3 | Tyres | 2.6% | 29 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.5% | 27 |
| 5 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.7% | 8 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.2% | 2 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 52 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 30 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 25 |
| 4 | Washers | 9 |
| 5 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 5 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 5 |
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 | 22.3% | 244 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.7% | 117 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.5% | 60 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.6% | 39 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 0.9% | 10 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.8% | 9 |
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 | 826 | 6.2% |
| 30-60k | 250 | 12.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 532 | 7.3% |
| 2025 | 553 | 8.1% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Sandero Stepway Essential Tce
On a 2021 Sandero Stepway Essential Tce, visibility is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 4.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Visibility (4.3% 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.
- Brakes (2.9% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Tyres (2.6% 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 Sandero Stepway Essential Tces pass their MOT?
92.2% of the 1,093 2021 Dacia Sandero Stepway Essential Tce MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Dacia Sandero Stepway Essential Tce?
Visibility, recorded in 4.3% of tests, followed by brakes (2.9%).
Does the 2021 Sandero Stepway Essential Tce get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.2% in the 0-30k band to 12.4% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,093 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.