1989 Renault Trafic — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1989 Renault Trafic passed 66.9% of its 975 recorded MOT tests. Vans of a similar age fail 28.8% of the time, so this is 4.3pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, body, structure & corrosion and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 23.2% of all tests — 6.7 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, service brake performance and position lamp — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 240 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 37.9% versus 33.3%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 32.3% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 35.3% in 2021 to 32.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 23.2% | 226 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 16.5% | 161 |
| 3 | Brakes | 15.9% | 155 |
| 4 | Suspension | 13.9% | 135 |
| 5 | Visibility | 9.3% | 91 |
| 6 | Steering | 5.3% | 52 |
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 | 240 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 110 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 109 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 97 |
| 5 | Service brake imbalance | 85 |
| 6 | Exhaust system | 74 |
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 | 32.3% | 315 |
| 2 | Suspension | 30.4% | 296 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 29.6% | 289 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 18.5% | 180 |
| 5 | Other defects | 16.1% | 157 |
| 6 | Tyres | 14.6% | 142 |
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 | 45 | 33.3% |
| 30-60k | 143 | 30.1% |
| 60-90k | 387 | 30.8% |
| 90-120k | 252 | 35.7% |
| 120-150k | 89 | 38.2% |
| 150k+ | 58 | 37.9% |
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 794 | 33.4% |
| Diesel | 181 | 32.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 241 | 35.3% |
| 2022 | 212 | 32.6% |
| 2023 | 207 | 33.8% |
| 2024 | 162 | 30.3% |
| 2025 | 153 | 32.7% |
What to check before buying a 1989 Trafic
On a 1989 Trafic, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 23.2% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (23.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (16.5% 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 (15.9% 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 1989 Renault Trafics pass their MOT?
66.9% of the 975 1989 Renault Trafic MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 33.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1989 Renault Trafic?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 23.2% of tests, followed by body, structure & corrosion (16.5%).
Does the 1989 Trafic get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 33.3% in the 0-30k band to 37.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 975 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.