1985 Renault Trafic — MOT failures & pass rate
315 MOT tests on the 1985 Renault Trafic are in this dataset, and 65.4% of them passed. Against vans of a similar age (28.3% fail rate), the 1985 Trafic comes out 6.3pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, body, structure & corrosion and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 25.4% of all tests — 5.7 points clear of body, structure & corrosion, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, chassis condition and service brake performance — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 67 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1985 Trafic fails 29.7% of the time in the 30-60k band and 33.3% at 90-120k, a spread of only 3.6 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 40.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 40.7% in 2021 to 33.3% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 25.4% | 80 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 19.7% | 62 |
| 3 | Brakes | 19.4% | 61 |
| 4 | Suspension | 13.3% | 42 |
| 5 | Visibility | 12.7% | 40 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 8.9% | 28 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 67 |
| 2 | Chassis condition | 40 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 39 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 37 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 37 |
| 6 | Wipers | 33 |
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 | 40.0% | 126 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 31.1% | 98 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 29.8% | 94 |
| 4 | Suspension | 27.3% | 86 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 16.8% | 53 |
| 6 | Other defects | 14.0% | 44 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 37 | 29.7% |
| 60-90k | 138 | 36.2% |
| 90-120k | 87 | 33.3% |
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 250 | 34.8% |
| Diesel | 65 | 33.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 91 | 40.7% |
| 2022 | 77 | 31.2% |
| 2023 | 70 | 32.9% |
| 2024 | 47 | 31.9% |
| 2025 | 30 | 33.3% |
What to check before buying a 1985 Trafic
On a 1985 Trafic, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 25.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (25.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (19.7% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
- Brakes (19.4% 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 1985 Renault Trafics pass their MOT?
65.4% of the 315 1985 Renault Trafic MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 34.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1985 Renault Trafic?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 25.4% of tests, followed by body, structure & corrosion (19.7%).
Does the 1985 Trafic get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 29.7% in the 30-60k band to 33.3% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 315 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.