Renault Trucks Master 35 Lwb MOT pass rate & common failures
2,339 MOT tests on the Renault Trucks Master 35 Lwb (2017–2024) give it a 90.5% pass rate. Against all cars of a similar age (7.2% fail rate), the Master 35 Lwb comes out 2.3pp worse. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 11.3% of all tests — 7.5 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, outline marker lamp and brake pads — headlamp aim alone was recorded 189 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 25.0% versus 4.4%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 10.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 9.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 13.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Master 35 Lwb model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 43 | 67.4% | 32.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2020 | 545 | 92.7% | 7.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 827 | 89.5% | 10.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2022 | 533 | 90.4% | 9.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2023 | 321 | 91.0% | 9.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2024 | 53 | 100.0% | 0.0% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 11.3% | 264 |
| 2 | Brakes | 3.8% | 88 |
| 3 | Tyres | 1.9% | 45 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.6% | 37 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.5% | 34 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.3% | 31 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.0% | 24 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.6% | 15 |
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 | 189 |
| 2 | Outline marker lamp | 96 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 63 |
| 4 | Wipers | 44 |
| 5 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 36 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 35 |
| 7 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 30 |
| 8 | Stop lamp | 24 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 10.9% | 256 |
| 2 | Tyres | 10.6% | 247 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 4.0% | 93 |
| 4 | Suspension | 2.7% | 63 |
| 5 | Other defects | 2.2% | 52 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.1% | 49 |
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 | 638 | 4.4% |
| 30-60k | 695 | 7.6% |
| 60-90k | 575 | 11.5% |
| 90-120k | 258 | 14.3% |
| 120-150k | 92 | 20.6% |
| 150k+ | 80 | 25.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 125 | 9.6% |
| 2022 | 313 | 3.5% |
| 2023 | 472 | 8.1% |
| 2024 | 679 | 9.3% |
| 2025 | 750 | 13.2% |
What to check before buying a Renault Trucks Master 35 Lwb
- Lighting & signalling (11.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (3.8% 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 (1.9% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Renault Trucks Master 35 Lwb?
90.5% of the 2,339 Renault Trucks Master 35 Lwb MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 9.5% fail rate, across model years 2017–2024.
What does the Renault Trucks Master 35 Lwb most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.3% of tests, then brakes (3.8%).
How much does mileage affect Master 35 Lwb MOT results?
Fail rates run at 4.4% for cars in the 0-30k band and 25.0% for 150k+, a 20.6-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,339 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.