Renault Modus MOT pass rate & common failures
The Renault Modus appears in 96,495 MOT tests spanning model years 2004–2021, and 69.4% of them passed. Against superminis of a similar age (27.2% fail rate), the Modus comes out 3.4pp worse. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
Best and worst Modus years
Ranked across Modus years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
Build year matters more than the headline suggests: 2009 cars pass 72.2% of the time while 2004 cars manage 66.6%, a 5.5-point spread.
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 19.9% of all tests — 3.2 points clear of suspension, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, position lamp and headlamp aim — coil spring alone was recorded 9,693 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 35.1% versus 20.6%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 1.5pp more often than petrol ones (31.8% vs 30.3%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 32.5% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Modus model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 5,437 | 66.6% | 33.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 21,113 | 67.5% | 32.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 16,043 | 68.2% | 31.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 13,497 | 69.4% | 30.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 12,934 | 70.1% | 29.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 6,606 | 72.2% | 27.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 10,834 | 72.1% | 27.9% | Suspension |
| 2011 | 9,096 | 70.8% | 29.2% | Suspension |
| 2012 | 906 | 71.1% | 28.9% | Suspension |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 19.9% | 19,242 |
| 2 | Suspension | 16.8% | 16,171 |
| 3 | Brakes | 8.8% | 8,536 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.5% | 5,291 |
| 5 | Steering | 5.2% | 4,995 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.3% | 4,163 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.1% | 2,959 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 2.9% | 2,777 |
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 | 9,693 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 9,174 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 7,425 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 5,890 |
| 5 | Track rod end | 5,217 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 5,150 |
| 7 | Ball joint | 4,869 |
| 8 | Tread depth | 3,117 |
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 | 32.5% | 31,313 |
| 2 | Tyres | 30.0% | 28,970 |
| 3 | Suspension | 21.1% | 20,360 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 16.3% | 15,688 |
| 5 | Other defects | 12.5% | 12,061 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 12.3% | 11,885 |
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 | 4,769 | 20.6% |
| 30-60k | 27,411 | 27.0% |
| 60-90k | 35,479 | 31.6% |
| 90-120k | 20,232 | 34.2% |
| 120-150k | 6,526 | 35.2% |
| 150k+ | 1,885 | 35.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 71,638 | 30.3% |
| Diesel | 24,857 | 31.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 24,755 | 30.8% |
| 2022 | 21,718 | 30.2% |
| 2023 | 19,337 | 30.6% |
| 2024 | 16,583 | 30.7% |
| 2025 | 14,102 | 31.1% |
What to check before buying a Renault Modus
- Lighting & signalling (19.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (16.8% 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 (8.8% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Renault Modus?
69.4% of the 96,495 Renault Modus MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 30.6% fail rate, across model years 2004–2021.
What does the Renault Modus most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 19.9% of tests, then suspension (16.8%).
Which Modus years are best and worst for MOT results?
2009 has the best pass rate at 72.2% and 2004 the weakest at 66.6%, from 6,606 and 5,437 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Modus MOT results?
Fail rates run at 20.6% for cars in the 0-30k band and 35.1% for 150k+, a 14.5-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Modus more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 30.3% of the time against 31.8% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 96,495 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.