2019 Dacia Sandero — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2019 Dacia Sandero passed 88.8% of its 56,977 recorded MOT tests. Against superminis of a similar age (10.0% fail rate), the 2019 Sandero comes out 1.2pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (8.9%) and visibility (7.5%) 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 4,182 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.4% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 29.2% once past 120-150k — 3.5× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 11.2% fail against 13.3% for diesel, a 2.1-point gap across 56,977 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 24.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 2.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 14.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.9% | 5,087 |
| 2 | Visibility | 7.5% | 4,304 |
| 3 | Tyres | 2.8% | 1,620 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.4% | 1,387 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.2% | 700 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.8% | 450 |
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 | 4,182 |
| 2 | Wipers | 3,754 |
| 3 | Washers | 1,587 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 1,371 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 1,017 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 752 |
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 | 24.9% | 14,180 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.6% | 7,195 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.2% | 3,535 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.1% | 1,759 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 1.6% | 925 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.5% | 866 |
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 | 35,444 | 8.4% |
| 30-60k | 18,603 | 15.1% |
| 60-90k | 2,473 | 19.7% |
| 90-120k | 370 | 24.6% |
| 120-150k | 65 | 29.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 55,506 | 11.2% |
| Diesel | 1,471 | 13.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 477 | 2.9% |
| 2022 | 14,076 | 7.6% |
| 2023 | 14,152 | 11.1% |
| 2024 | 13,877 | 12.2% |
| 2025 | 14,395 | 14.3% |
What to check before buying a 2019 Sandero
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 8.9% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (8.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (7.5% 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 (2.8% 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 2019 Dacia Sanderos pass their MOT?
88.8% of the 56,977 2019 Dacia Sandero MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 Dacia Sandero?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.9% of tests, followed by visibility (7.5%).
Does the 2019 Sandero get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.4% in the 0-30k band to 29.2% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 56,977 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.