2020 Renault Trafic — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2020 Renault Trafic passed 81.6% of its 1,768 recorded MOT tests. Vans of a similar age fail 13.7% of the time, so this is 4.8pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (6.3%) and brakes (5.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, track rod end and shock absorbers — brake pads alone was recorded 70 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 10.3% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 28.4% once past 150k — 2.7× the risk.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 16.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 9.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 6.3% | 112 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.1% | 90 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.4% | 78 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 4.0% | 70 |
| 5 | Steering | 2.9% | 52 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.6% | 46 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 70 |
| 2 | Track rod end | 69 |
| 3 | Shock absorbers | 42 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 37 |
| 5 | Ball joint | 36 |
| 6 | Linkage ball joints | 34 |
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 | 16.6% | 294 |
| 2 | Tyres | 14.6% | 259 |
| 3 | Suspension | 8.8% | 155 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.2% | 127 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 4.3% | 76 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 4.2% | 75 |
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 | 435 | 10.3% |
| 30-60k | 571 | 18.2% |
| 60-90k | 365 | 21.9% |
| 90-120k | 218 | 23.4% |
| 120-150k | 77 | 22.1% |
| 150k+ | 102 | 28.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 108 | 9.3% |
| 2022 | 125 | 8.8% |
| 2023 | 476 | 18.1% |
| 2024 | 515 | 19.4% |
| 2025 | 544 | 21.9% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Trafic
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 6.3% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (6.3% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Brakes (5.1% 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.
- Tyres (4.4% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
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 2020 Renault Trafics pass their MOT?
81.6% of the 1,768 2020 Renault Trafic MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 18.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Renault Trafic?
Suspension, recorded in 6.3% of tests, followed by brakes (5.1%).
Does the 2020 Trafic get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.3% in the 0-30k band to 28.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,768 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.