108,632 tests in 2025
Dacia Sandero reliability and MOT pass rate
76% passed first time. The 24% fail rate is 1.4 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 8 years old with 44,567 miles.
Pass rate
76%
22.6% of all cars failed; 24% of these did.
Fixed on the day
7%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
44,567 mi
8 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 27,679 | 9.9% |
| 6-9 years | 49,701 | 23.9% |
| 10-13 years | 30,808 | 37.2% |
| 14+ years | 4 | — |
What the Sandero fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Suspension2,050 dangerous38.7%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment209 dangerous29.9%
- Brakes2,914 dangerous24.7%
- Visibility5 dangerous21.1%
- Tyres5,136 dangerous19.8%
- Body, chassis, structure75 dangerous18.9%
- Noise, emissions and leaks5 dangerous7.6%
- Steering177 dangerous6.7%
Is the Sandero getting worse?
The fail rate rose 5.7 points to 25.1% from 2022 to 2025, against a rising rate across all cars.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 91,758 | 6 | 19.4% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 99,257 | — | 21.7% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 87,793 | — | 24.1% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 101,645 | — | 25.1% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Sandero at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a Sandero in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Coil spring: fractured or broken5,209 tests
- 2Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt3,976 tests
- 3Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively2,397 tests
- 4Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn2,307 tests
- 5Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2,271 tests
- 6Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1,960 tests
- 7Service brake performance: excessively binding1,630 tests
- 8Headlamp aim: too low1,552 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Sandero collects 2.27 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm15,566 tests
- 2Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure14,873 tests
- 3Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened9,207 tests
- 4Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick6,326 tests
- 5Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn3,550 tests
- 6Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt2,694 tests
- 7Linkage pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn2,642 tests
- 8Service brake performance: excessively binding2,376 tests
Questions
What is the Dacia Sandero MOT pass rate?
76% of the 108,632 Dacia Sandero first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 24% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 7% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Dacia Sandero usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Coil spring: fractured or broken", recorded on 5,209 failed tests, followed by "Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" and "Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively". By section, suspension appears in 38.7% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 29.9% of failures, brakes appears in 24.7% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 9.9%; at 10-13 years it was 37.2%. The median Dacia Sandero tested in 2025 was 8 years old with 44,567 miles.
Is the Dacia Sandero getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 5.7 points to 25.1% from 2022 to 2025, against a rising rate across all cars.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every Sandero trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
DVSA has published 5 safety recalls naming the Dacia Sandero: Dacia Sandero recalls.
Other Dacia models
Checking a particular Sandero?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.