2011 Renault Megane — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2011 Renault Megane passed 69.9% of its 95,496 recorded MOT tests. Small family cars of a similar age fail 22.7% of the time, so this is 7.4pp 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 (16.5%) and suspension (16.2%) 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 stop lamp — coil spring alone was recorded 9,154 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 31.6% versus 18.8%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 29.8% of the time against 30.3% for diesel.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 35.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 29.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 30.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 16.5% | 15,755 |
| 2 | Suspension | 16.2% | 15,449 |
| 3 | Brakes | 10.7% | 10,233 |
| 4 | Steering | 8.3% | 7,977 |
| 5 | Tyres | 5.5% | 5,300 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.9% | 4,649 |
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 | 9,154 |
| 2 | Track rod end | 9,138 |
| 3 | Stop lamp | 6,177 |
| 4 | Ball joint | 5,987 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 4,730 |
| 6 | Linkage ball joints | 4,225 |
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 | 35.6% | 34,019 |
| 2 | Tyres | 28.9% | 27,607 |
| 3 | Suspension | 26.0% | 24,849 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 12.7% | 12,169 |
| 5 | Other defects | 11.8% | 11,252 |
| 6 | Steering | 6.5% | 6,240 |
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 | 1,082 | 18.8% |
| 30-60k | 11,627 | 24.6% |
| 60-90k | 31,577 | 29.9% |
| 90-120k | 29,571 | 31.4% |
| 120-150k | 14,969 | 32.1% |
| 150k+ | 6,588 | 31.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 48,393 | 30.3% |
| Petrol | 47,096 | 29.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 21,702 | 29.0% |
| 2022 | 21,083 | 30.1% |
| 2023 | 19,524 | 30.2% |
| 2024 | 17,721 | 30.7% |
| 2025 | 15,466 | 30.6% |
What to check before buying a 2011 Megane
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 16.5% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (16.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (16.2% 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.
- Brakes (10.7% 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 2011 Renault Meganes pass their MOT?
69.9% of the 95,496 2011 Renault Megane MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 30.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 Renault Megane?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 16.5% of tests, followed by suspension (16.2%).
Does the 2011 Megane get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 18.8% in the 0-30k band to 31.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 95,496 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.