Dacia Sandero MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

Dacia Sandero MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The Dacia Sandero passed on its first attempt in 75.2%, and its overall record sits −1.1 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Dacia Sandero in the 2023–2025 data: 347,892 tests across 10 model years (2012–2021). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.

Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.

Most Common Dacia Sandero MOT Problems by Failure Category

Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Dacia Sandero, the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.

Shares are over the Dacia Sandero's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

Top Recorded Dacia Sandero DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Dacia Sandero, each with how many of the model's 347,892 tests it was noted on.

• "Joints constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" (Major) — noted on about 11,467 Dacia Sandero tests, 3.3% of the model's MOT record.
• "Coil spring fractured or broken" (Major) — noted on about 11,264 Dacia Sandero tests, 3.2% of the model's MOT record.
• "Headlamp aim too low" (Rectified) — noted on about 9,486 Dacia Sandero tests, 2.7% of the model's MOT record.
• "Wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively" (Major) — noted on about 7,574 Dacia Sandero tests, 2.2% of the model's MOT record.
• "Ball joint excessively worn" (Major) — noted on about 6,476 Dacia Sandero tests, 1.9% of the model's MOT record.
• "Horn not working" (Major) — noted on about 4,681 Dacia Sandero tests, 1.3% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Dacia Sandero Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Dacia Sandero model year on record is 2021 (90.3% across 1,740 tests), and the weakest is 2014 (72.9%). The gap between them is 17.4 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

Dacia Sandero reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 2.4 points a year across the most recent model years shown above.

Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.

Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Dacia Sandero Owners

These checks follow this Dacia Sandero's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Dacia Sandero.

• the coil springs — “coil spring fractured or broken”

  Look up inside each wheel arch with a torch, all the way round the spring. A snapped spring usually breaks at the very bottom coil, where a quick glance will not reach.

• the lights — “headlamp aim too low”

  Switch everything on and walk round the car: both headlamps on dip and main, every indicator, both brake lights, reverse, fog and the two number-plate lamps. A bulb is a few pounds and a five-minute job.

• the wipers and washers — “wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively”

  Run the wipers with the screen wet: they should clear it in one sweep without smearing or juddering. Top the washer bottle up and check both jets hit the screen.

Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Dacia Sandero. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.

Frequently Asked Questions: Dacia Sandero MOT & Reliability