2017 Renault Scenic — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2017 Renault Scenic passed 85.9% of its 6,284 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as MPVs of a similar age (13.6% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (6.3%) and tyres (6.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp, stop lamp and tread depth — headlamp alone was recorded 189 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 20.4% versus 10.6%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 13.0% of the time against 14.3% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 26.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 10.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 16.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.3% | 394 |
| 2 | Tyres | 6.1% | 382 |
| 3 | Suspension | 4.6% | 291 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.5% | 156 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.6% | 103 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.5% | 92 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp | 189 |
| 2 | Stop lamp | 145 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 136 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 120 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 95 |
| 6 | Linkage ball joints | 87 |
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 | 26.9% | 1,690 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.4% | 1,029 |
| 3 | Suspension | 8.6% | 540 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.3% | 393 |
| 5 | Road wheels | 2.1% | 130 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.6% | 102 |
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 | 1,953 | 10.6% |
| 30-60k | 3,221 | 14.3% |
| 60-90k | 944 | 19.3% |
| 90-120k | 132 | 20.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 5,118 | 14.3% |
| Petrol | 1,166 | 13.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,200 | 10.3% |
| 2022 | 1,247 | 13.2% |
| 2023 | 1,255 | 13.5% |
| 2024 | 1,291 | 16.5% |
| 2025 | 1,291 | 16.7% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Scenic
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 6.3% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (6.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (6.1% 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.
- Suspension (4.6% 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.
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 2017 Renault Scenics pass their MOT?
85.9% of the 6,284 2017 Renault Scenic MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Renault Scenic?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.3% of tests, followed by tyres (6.1%).
Does the 2017 Scenic get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.6% in the 0-30k band to 20.4% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,284 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.