1992 Renault Trafic — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1992 Renault Trafic passed 65.8% of its 1,162 recorded MOT tests. Vans of a similar age fail 30.0% of the time, so this is 4.2pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 25.4% of all tests — 8.4 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, service brake performance and integral vehicle structure condition — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 208 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1992 Trafic fails 29.5% of the time in the 30-60k band and 29.9% at 120-150k, a spread of only 0.4 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 34.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 35.1% in 2021 to 33.5% 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% | 295 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.0% | 197 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 13.8% | 160 |
| 4 | Suspension | 13.0% | 151 |
| 5 | Visibility | 9.5% | 110 |
| 6 | Steering | 8.8% | 102 |
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 | 208 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 201 |
| 3 | Integral vehicle structure condition | 132 |
| 4 | Service brake imbalance | 106 |
| 5 | Rear fog lamp | 105 |
| 6 | Chassis condition | 103 |
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 | 34.7% | 403 |
| 2 | Brakes | 33.2% | 386 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 31.6% | 367 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 22.2% | 258 |
| 5 | Other defects | 19.0% | 221 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 17.0% | 198 |
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 | 190 | 29.5% |
| 60-90k | 505 | 33.9% |
| 90-120k | 330 | 38.8% |
| 120-150k | 97 | 29.9% |
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 832 | 35.0% |
| Diesel | 330 | 32.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 282 | 35.1% |
| 2022 | 257 | 35.0% |
| 2023 | 232 | 32.3% |
| 2024 | 215 | 34.9% |
| 2025 | 176 | 33.5% |
What to check before buying a 1992 Trafic
On a 1992 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.
- Brakes (17.0% 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 (13.8% 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 1992 Renault Trafics pass their MOT?
65.8% of the 1,162 1992 Renault Trafic MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 34.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1992 Renault Trafic?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 25.4% of tests, followed by brakes (17.0%).
Does the 1992 Trafic get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 29.5% in the 30-60k band to 29.9% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,162 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.