2001 Renault Kangoo — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 3,874 MOT tests, the 2001 Renault Kangoo recorded a 67.3% pass rate. Against vans of a similar age (29.8% fail rate), the 2001 Kangoo comes out 2.9pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (15.0%) and lighting & signalling (13.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are joints, service brake performance and washers — joints alone was recorded 302 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 36.2% versus 21.6%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 32.1% of the time against 33.4% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 35.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 33.9% in 2021 to 30.0% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 15.0% | 581 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 13.8% | 535 |
| 3 | Brakes | 13.6% | 525 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 13.4% | 520 |
| 5 | Visibility | 10.1% | 391 |
| 6 | Steering | 7.6% | 295 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joints | 302 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 267 |
| 3 | Washers | 264 |
| 4 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 214 |
| 5 | Wipers | 204 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 189 |
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 | 35.5% | 1,376 |
| 2 | Suspension | 32.5% | 1,260 |
| 3 | Tyres | 29.0% | 1,123 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 25.3% | 980 |
| 5 | Other defects | 23.8% | 924 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 23.2% | 900 |
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 | 97 | 21.6% |
| 30-60k | 668 | 28.3% |
| 60-90k | 1,212 | 32.8% |
| 90-120k | 999 | 35.1% |
| 120-150k | 539 | 33.2% |
| 150k+ | 354 | 36.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 2,081 | 32.1% |
| Diesel | 1,793 | 33.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,264 | 33.9% |
| 2022 | 929 | 30.6% |
| 2023 | 742 | 34.5% |
| 2024 | 546 | 33.0% |
| 2025 | 393 | 30.0% |
What to check before buying a 2001 Kangoo
On a 2001 Kangoo, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 15.0% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (15.0% 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 (13.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (13.6% 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 2001 Renault Kangoos pass their MOT?
67.3% of the 3,874 2001 Renault Kangoo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 32.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2001 Renault Kangoo?
Suspension, recorded in 15.0% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (13.8%).
Does the 2001 Kangoo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 21.6% in the 0-30k band to 36.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,874 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.