2020 Renault Master Lm35 Business + — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 610 MOT tests, the 2020 Renault Master Lm35 Business + recorded an 88.7% pass rate. All cars of a similar age fail 8.5% of the time, so this is 2.8pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (5.9%) and brakes (3.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, malfunction indicator lamp and headlamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 16 times.
A 120-150k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 20.6% versus 6.4%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 13.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 1.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 14.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 5.9% | 36 |
| 2 | Brakes | 3.6% | 22 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 2.6% | 16 |
| 4 | Tyres | 2.1% | 13 |
| 5 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.5% | 9 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.3% | 8 |
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 | 16 |
| 2 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 15 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 11 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 9 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 8 |
| 6 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 7 |
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 | 13.4% | 82 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.5% | 58 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 6.9% | 42 |
| 4 | Visibility | 6.9% | 42 |
| 5 | Other defects | 2.8% | 17 |
| 6 | Suspension | 2.3% | 14 |
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 | 235 | 6.4% |
| 30-60k | 214 | 11.7% |
| 60-90k | 67 | 13.4% |
| 90-120k | 40 | 15.0% |
| 120-150k | 34 | 20.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 60 | 1.7% |
| 2022 | 92 | 3.3% |
| 2023 | 157 | 12.1% |
| 2024 | 155 | 16.1% |
| 2025 | 146 | 14.4% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Master Lm35 Business +
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 5.9% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (5.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (3.6% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (2.6% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
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 Master Lm35 Business +s pass their MOT?
88.7% of the 610 2020 Renault Master Lm35 Business + MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Renault Master Lm35 Business +?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 5.9% of tests, followed by brakes (3.6%).
Does the 2020 Master Lm35 Business + get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.4% in the 0-30k band to 20.6% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 610 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.