2018 Renault Megane — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 11,886 MOT tests, the 2018 Renault Megane recorded an 85.2% pass rate. That is 4.4 percentage points worse than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 10.4%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (6.6%) and tyres (6.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp and headlamp aim — wipers alone was recorded 516 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 10.1% in the 0-30k band and 16.3% in the 150k+ band, a 6.1-point spread.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 4.9pp more often than petrol ones (17.4% vs 12.5%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 26.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 13.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 17.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.6% | 784 |
| 2 | Tyres | 6.0% | 716 |
| 3 | Visibility | 5.1% | 606 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.3% | 506 |
| 5 | Brakes | 2.6% | 305 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.9% | 110 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 516 |
| 2 | Headlamp | 399 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 368 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 302 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 248 |
| 6 | Linkage ball joints | 246 |
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 | 26.2% | 3,115 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.4% | 1,947 |
| 3 | Suspension | 7.6% | 899 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.0% | 836 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.8% | 329 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 2.1% | 248 |
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 | 4,100 | 10.1% |
| 30-60k | 4,995 | 15.3% |
| 60-90k | 1,877 | 20.7% |
| 90-120k | 649 | 21.1% |
| 120-150k | 182 | 20.9% |
| 150k+ | 80 | 16.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 6,399 | 12.5% |
| Diesel | 5,487 | 17.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,425 | 13.1% |
| 2022 | 2,433 | 13.5% |
| 2023 | 2,375 | 14.4% |
| 2024 | 2,340 | 15.9% |
| 2025 | 2,313 | 17.1% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Megane
On a 2018 Megane, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 6.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (6.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (6.0% 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.
- Visibility (5.1% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
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 2018 Renault Meganes pass their MOT?
85.2% of the 11,886 2018 Renault Megane MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Renault Megane?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.6% of tests, followed by tyres (6.0%).
Does the 2018 Megane get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.1% in the 0-30k band to 16.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 11,886 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.