2013 Renault Scenic — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 19,951 MOT tests, the 2013 Renault Scenic recorded a 73.8% pass rate. That is 5.3 percentage points worse than MPVs of a similar age, which fail at 20.9%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (13.2%) and lighting & signalling (11.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, joints and stop lamp — coil spring alone was recorded 2,108 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 31.4% versus 19.0%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 26.1% of the time against 26.2% for diesel.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 28.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 23.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 27.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 13.2% | 2,626 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 11.8% | 2,348 |
| 3 | Brakes | 6.5% | 1,302 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.2% | 1,241 |
| 5 | Steering | 4.4% | 874 |
| 6 | Tyres | 4.0% | 796 |
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 | 2,108 |
| 2 | Joints | 1,328 |
| 3 | Stop lamp | 1,007 |
| 4 | Track rod end | 994 |
| 5 | Ball joint | 622 |
| 6 | Linkage ball joints | 594 |
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 | 28.5% | 5,696 |
| 2 | Tyres | 27.1% | 5,402 |
| 3 | Suspension | 19.5% | 3,891 |
| 4 | Other defects | 8.8% | 1,762 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 8.2% | 1,639 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.4% | 684 |
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 | 751 | 19.0% |
| 30-60k | 5,912 | 22.2% |
| 60-90k | 8,121 | 27.3% |
| 90-120k | 3,910 | 29.8% |
| 120-150k | 995 | 30.1% |
| 150k+ | 248 | 31.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 18,765 | 26.2% |
| Petrol | 1,186 | 26.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,056 | 23.7% |
| 2022 | 4,081 | 24.8% |
| 2023 | 4,083 | 26.5% |
| 2024 | 4,006 | 28.6% |
| 2025 | 3,725 | 27.7% |
What to check before buying a 2013 Scenic
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 13.2% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (13.2% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (11.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (6.5% 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 2013 Renault Scenics pass their MOT?
73.8% of the 19,951 2013 Renault Scenic MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 26.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2013 Renault Scenic?
Suspension, recorded in 13.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (11.8%).
Does the 2013 Scenic get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 19.0% in the 0-30k band to 31.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 19,951 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.