2010 Renault Grand Espace — MOT failures & pass rate
1,467 MOT tests on the 2010 Renault Grand Espace are in this dataset, and 69.9% of them passed. That is 5.8 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 24.2%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (14.7%) and lighting & signalling (14.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, track rod end and ball joint — coil spring alone was recorded 111 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2010 Grand Espace fails 30.2% of the time in the 30-60k band and 30.4% at 150k+, a spread of only 0.2 points.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 29.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 28.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 30.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 14.7% | 216 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 14.6% | 214 |
| 3 | Brakes | 8.5% | 125 |
| 4 | Steering | 6.5% | 95 |
| 5 | Tyres | 5.3% | 78 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.4% | 64 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 111 |
| 2 | Track rod end | 99 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 87 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 77 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 67 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 59 |
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 | 29.8% | 437 |
| 2 | Tyres | 28.6% | 420 |
| 3 | Suspension | 21.2% | 311 |
| 4 | Other defects | 18.5% | 272 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 11.5% | 168 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.9% | 116 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 86 | 30.2% |
| 60-90k | 319 | 28.2% |
| 90-120k | 410 | 29.3% |
| 120-150k | 399 | 32.1% |
| 150k+ | 250 | 30.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 330 | 28.8% |
| 2022 | 341 | 32.6% |
| 2023 | 292 | 28.4% |
| 2024 | 267 | 30.0% |
| 2025 | 237 | 30.4% |
What to check before buying a 2010 Grand Espace
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 14.7% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (14.7% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (14.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (8.5% 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 2010 Renault Grand Espaces pass their MOT?
69.9% of the 1,467 2010 Renault Grand Espace MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 30.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 Renault Grand Espace?
Suspension, recorded in 14.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (14.6%).
Does the 2010 Grand Espace get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 30.2% in the 30-60k band to 30.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,467 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.