1998 Renault Trafic — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1998 Renault Trafic passed 66.7% of its 303 recorded MOT tests. Against vans of a similar age (29.6% fail rate), the 1998 Trafic comes out 3.7pp 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 — 9.2 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, headlamp aim and service brake performance — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 54 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 30-60k one: 39.7% versus 31.3%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: lighting & signalling was flagged on 23.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 37.8% in 2021 to 30.4% 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% | 77 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 16.2% | 49 |
| 3 | Brakes | 15.2% | 46 |
| 4 | Suspension | 12.5% | 38 |
| 5 | Steering | 10.2% | 31 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 8.3% | 25 |
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 | 54 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 40 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 34 |
| 4 | Steering rack | 27 |
| 5 | Service brake imbalance | 27 |
| 6 | Catalyst emissions | 25 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 23.8% | 72 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 22.8% | 69 |
| 3 | Suspension | 22.1% | 67 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 20.8% | 63 |
| 5 | Brakes | 18.5% | 56 |
| 6 | Other defects | 15.5% | 47 |
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 | 96 | 31.3% |
| 60-90k | 115 | 31.3% |
| 90-120k | 63 | 39.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 164 | 32.3% |
| Diesel | 139 | 34.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 74 | 37.8% |
| 2022 | 63 | 33.3% |
| 2023 | 69 | 36.2% |
| 2024 | 51 | 25.5% |
| 2025 | 46 | 30.4% |
What to check before buying a 1998 Trafic
On a 1998 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 (16.2% 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 (15.2% 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 1998 Renault Trafics pass their MOT?
66.7% of the 303 1998 Renault Trafic MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 33.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1998 Renault Trafic?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 25.4% of tests, followed by body, structure & corrosion (16.2%).
Does the 1998 Trafic get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 31.3% in the 30-60k band to 39.7% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 303 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.