2015 Dacia Sandero — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 95,055 MOT tests, the 2015 Dacia Sandero recorded a 76.3% pass rate. Superminis of a similar age fail 17.6% of the time, so this is 6.1pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (12.0%) and suspension (10.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are joints, headlamp aim and coil spring — joints alone was recorded 6,196 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 13.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 32.5% once past 150k — 2.5× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 22.2% fail against 26.7% for diesel, a 4.5-point gap across 95,055 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 27.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 18.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 27.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 12.0% | 11,416 |
| 2 | Suspension | 10.3% | 9,829 |
| 3 | Brakes | 6.6% | 6,282 |
| 4 | Visibility | 6.1% | 5,830 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.0% | 5,753 |
| 6 | Tyres | 4.9% | 4,683 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joints | 6,196 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 6,045 |
| 3 | Coil spring | 5,201 |
| 4 | Ball joint | 4,220 |
| 5 | Washers | 3,534 |
| 6 | Horn | 3,444 |
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 | 27.2% | 25,854 |
| 2 | Brakes | 20.3% | 19,250 |
| 3 | Suspension | 10.5% | 9,999 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.3% | 6,936 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.3% | 3,087 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.1% | 2,037 |
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 | 12,564 | 13.0% |
| 30-60k | 42,889 | 21.8% |
| 60-90k | 28,693 | 28.4% |
| 90-120k | 8,598 | 31.3% |
| 120-150k | 1,774 | 31.4% |
| 150k+ | 527 | 32.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 62,312 | 22.2% |
| Diesel | 32,743 | 26.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 18,152 | 18.0% |
| 2022 | 18,970 | 22.1% |
| 2023 | 19,315 | 24.3% |
| 2024 | 19,450 | 26.3% |
| 2025 | 19,168 | 27.6% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Sandero
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 12.0% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (12.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (10.3% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Brakes (6.6% 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.
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 2015 Dacia Sanderos pass their MOT?
76.3% of the 95,055 2015 Dacia Sandero MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 23.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Dacia Sandero?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 12.0% of tests, followed by suspension (10.3%).
Does the 2015 Sandero get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 13.0% in the 0-30k band to 32.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 95,055 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.