1993 Renault Trafic — MOT failures & pass rate
1,297 MOT tests on the 1993 Renault Trafic are in this dataset, and 64.8% of them passed. Against vans of a similar age (30.0% fail rate), the 1993 Trafic comes out 5.2pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 24.9% of tests against 17.1% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, service brake performance and headlamp aim — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 224 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1993 Trafic fails 36.0% of the time in the 30-60k band and 36.8% at 120-150k, a spread of only 0.8 points.
The diesel cars hold up better: 32.2% fail against 37.8% for petrol, a 5.6-point gap across 1,297 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 34.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 34.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 37.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 24.9% | 323 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.1% | 222 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 13.7% | 178 |
| 4 | Suspension | 11.3% | 147 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 8.9% | 116 |
| 6 | Visibility | 8.2% | 106 |
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 | 224 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 193 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 140 |
| 4 | Integral vehicle structure condition | 117 |
| 5 | Service brake imbalance | 111 |
| 6 | Wipers | 104 |
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 | 34.4% | 446 |
| 2 | Brakes | 31.0% | 402 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 29.8% | 386 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 23.2% | 301 |
| 5 | Other defects | 20.7% | 269 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 18.7% | 243 |
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 | 308 | 36.0% |
| 60-90k | 560 | 35.5% |
| 90-120k | 313 | 33.9% |
| 120-150k | 76 | 36.8% |
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 698 | 37.8% |
| Diesel | 599 | 32.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 307 | 34.2% |
| 2022 | 281 | 35.2% |
| 2023 | 264 | 34.1% |
| 2024 | 236 | 36.0% |
| 2025 | 209 | 37.3% |
What to check before buying a 1993 Trafic
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 24.9% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (24.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (17.1% 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 (13.7% 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+.
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 1993 Renault Trafics pass their MOT?
64.8% of the 1,297 1993 Renault Trafic MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 35.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1993 Renault Trafic?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 24.9% of tests, followed by brakes (17.1%).
Does the 1993 Trafic get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 36.0% in the 30-60k band to 36.8% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,297 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.