2020 Renault Trafic Business — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2020 Renault Trafic Business passed 86.6% of its 1,294 recorded MOT tests. Against all cars of a similar age (9.1% fail rate), the 2020 Trafic Business comes out 4.2pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, brakes and seat belts & restraints.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (4.6%) and brakes (3.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, ball joint and headlamp aim — brake pads alone was recorded 38 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 6.0% in the 0-30k band and 21.9% in the 90-120k band, a 15.9-point spread — more than double.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 13.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 2.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 14.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 4.6% | 59 |
| 2 | Brakes | 3.3% | 42 |
| 3 | Seat belts & restraints | 2.9% | 37 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.9% | 37 |
| 5 | Tyres | 2.8% | 36 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.2% | 29 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 38 |
| 2 | Ball joint | 25 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 23 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 17 |
| 5 | Track rod end | 16 |
| 6 | Shock absorbers | 14 |
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 | 13.1% | 170 |
| 2 | Tyres | 12.7% | 164 |
| 3 | Suspension | 6.3% | 81 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.6% | 72 |
| 5 | Seat belts & restraints | 5.2% | 67 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.4% | 57 |
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 | 563 | 6.0% |
| 30-60k | 384 | 18.2% |
| 60-90k | 191 | 18.9% |
| 90-120k | 114 | 21.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 42 | 2.4% |
| 2022 | 63 | 12.7% |
| 2023 | 367 | 12.0% |
| 2024 | 411 | 14.4% |
| 2025 | 411 | 14.8% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Trafic Business
On a 2020 Trafic Business, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 4.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- 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.
- Brakes (3.3% 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.
- Seat belts & restraints (2.9% of tests): Belt damage or faulty pretensioners — usually straightforward but safety-critical. Typical repair: £50–£300.
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 2020 Renault Trafic Businesss pass their MOT?
86.6% of the 1,294 2020 Renault Trafic Business MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Renault Trafic Business?
Suspension, recorded in 4.6% of tests, followed by brakes (3.3%).
Does the 2020 Trafic Business get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.0% in the 0-30k band to 21.9% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,294 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.