2005 Renault Laguna — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2005 Renault Laguna passed 68.6% of its 3,994 recorded MOT tests. Large family cars of a similar age fail 27.7% of the time, so this is 3.7pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (18.1%) and suspension (17.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, headlamp and ball joint — headlamp aim alone was recorded 422 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 34.0% once past 150k — 3.9× the risk.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 31.3% of the time against 31.6% for diesel.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 37.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 32.4% in 2021 to 28.6% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 18.1% | 724 |
| 2 | Suspension | 17.1% | 684 |
| 3 | Brakes | 11.3% | 452 |
| 4 | Tyres | 6.8% | 270 |
| 5 | Steering | 6.6% | 265 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.8% | 232 |
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 | 422 |
| 2 | Headlamp | 296 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 263 |
| 4 | Coil spring | 259 |
| 5 | Track rod end | 257 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 183 |
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 | 37.2% | 1,485 |
| 2 | Suspension | 34.3% | 1,371 |
| 3 | Tyres | 28.8% | 1,150 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 23.8% | 950 |
| 5 | Other defects | 18.7% | 748 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 12.3% | 493 |
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 | 34 | 8.8% |
| 30-60k | 418 | 30.4% |
| 60-90k | 1,144 | 30.2% |
| 90-120k | 1,227 | 31.4% |
| 120-150k | 667 | 33.3% |
| 150k+ | 500 | 34.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 2,426 | 31.3% |
| Diesel | 1,568 | 31.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,482 | 32.4% |
| 2022 | 998 | 31.7% |
| 2023 | 708 | 31.4% |
| 2024 | 463 | 30.0% |
| 2025 | 343 | 28.6% |
What to check before buying a 2005 Laguna
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 18.1% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (18.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (17.1% 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.
- Brakes (11.3% 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 2005 Renault Lagunas pass their MOT?
68.6% of the 3,994 2005 Renault Laguna MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 31.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2005 Renault Laguna?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 18.1% of tests, followed by suspension (17.1%).
Does the 2005 Laguna get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.8% in the 0-30k band to 34.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,994 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.