1991 Renault Trafic — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1991 Renault Trafic passed 62.0% of its 898 recorded MOT tests. That is 8.4 percentage points worse than vans of a similar age, which fail at 29.6%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 27.8% of tests against 19.7% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, service brake performance and rear fog lamp — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 180 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1991 Trafic fails 36.0% of the time in the 30-60k band and 39.0% at 120-150k, a spread of only 3.0 points.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 36.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 38.8% in 2021 to 35.8% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 27.8% | 250 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.7% | 177 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 16.9% | 152 |
| 4 | Suspension | 14.0% | 126 |
| 5 | Visibility | 9.1% | 82 |
| 6 | Steering | 7.6% | 68 |
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 | 180 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 145 |
| 3 | Rear fog lamp | 90 |
| 4 | Wipers | 85 |
| 5 | Chassis condition | 79 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 76 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 36.2% | 325 |
| 2 | Brakes | 33.3% | 299 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 31.9% | 286 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 22.7% | 204 |
| 5 | Tyres | 19.0% | 171 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 18.8% | 169 |
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 | 164 | 36.0% |
| 60-90k | 337 | 38.9% |
| 90-120k | 251 | 37.5% |
| 120-150k | 100 | 39.0% |
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 616 | 37.8% |
| Diesel | 282 | 38.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 209 | 38.8% |
| 2022 | 198 | 36.9% |
| 2023 | 192 | 39.6% |
| 2024 | 165 | 38.2% |
| 2025 | 134 | 35.8% |
What to check before buying a 1991 Trafic
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 27.8% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (27.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (19.7% 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.
- Body, structure & corrosion (16.9% 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+.
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 1991 Renault Trafics pass their MOT?
62.0% of the 898 1991 Renault Trafic MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 38.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1991 Renault Trafic?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 27.8% of tests, followed by brakes (19.7%).
Does the 1991 Trafic get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 36.0% in the 30-60k band to 39.0% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 898 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.