2020 Renault Grand Scenic — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2020 Renault Grand Scenic passed 87.2% of its 935 recorded MOT tests. MPVs of a similar age fail 10.9% of the time, so this is 1.9pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 9.3% of all tests — 4.6 points clear of tyres, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are stop lamp, headlamp and headlamp aim — stop lamp alone was recorded 41 times.
A 60-90k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 23.1% versus 7.5%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 24.6% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 10.0% of tests failed in 2022 against 14.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 9.3% | 87 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.7% | 44 |
| 3 | Suspension | 3.2% | 30 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.5% | 23 |
| 5 | Brakes | 2.4% | 22 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.2% | 11 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stop lamp | 41 |
| 2 | Headlamp | 36 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 24 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 20 |
| 5 | Washers | 16 |
| 6 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 12 |
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 | 24.6% | 230 |
| 2 | Brakes | 14.2% | 133 |
| 3 | Other defects | 8.8% | 82 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.5% | 42 |
| 5 | Road wheels | 3.9% | 36 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.1% | 20 |
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 | 480 | 7.5% |
| 30-60k | 393 | 17.8% |
| 60-90k | 52 | 23.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 697 | 11.5% |
| Diesel | 238 | 16.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 30 | 10.0% |
| 2023 | 305 | 14.1% |
| 2024 | 286 | 10.5% |
| 2025 | 310 | 14.2% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Grand Scenic
On a 2020 Grand Scenic, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 9.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (9.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (4.7% 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.
- Suspension (3.2% 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.
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 2020 Renault Grand Scenics pass their MOT?
87.2% of the 935 2020 Renault Grand Scenic MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Renault Grand Scenic?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 9.3% of tests, followed by tyres (4.7%).
Does the 2020 Grand Scenic get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.5% in the 0-30k band to 23.1% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 935 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.