Know Your MOT

MOT failure rate and common problems for the Renault Vivaro, and how to check your own car by registration.

Updated 05 September 2026.

26.3%fail rate

Renault Vivaro MOT failure rate

What a Renault Vivaro fails its MOT on, and the part that fixes each.

What it fails on, and why

Lamps & electrical66.7% of failures

Lighting is the single most common MOT failure and the cheapest to put right. A blown headlight, brake-light or number-plate bulb, a cracked lens, or a headlamp beam that points too high or low will all fail. Most are a two-minute bulb swap.

Visibility/wipers33.3% of failures

Visibility failures include torn or smearing wiper blades, a washer jet that does not reach the screen, and chips or cracks in the driver's swept area. Blades and washer fluid are quick, cheap fixes.

Brakes33.3% of failures

Brake failures cover worn pads and discs, an imbalance between wheels, corroded or scored discs, or a binding caliper. Braking efficiency is measured on a rolling road, so a spongy or pulling brake shows up as a low reading.

Registration plate26.7% of failures

A missing, damaged, dirty or incorrectly-spaced number plate, or one using the wrong font, will fail. A replacement plate is inexpensive.

Suspension20.0% of failures

Suspension failures usually mean a worn or snapped coil spring, a leaking shock absorber, or play in a lower arm ball joint or bush. The tester checks for corrosion, fractures and excessive movement. A broken front spring is one of the most common failures on higher-mileage cars and is a straightforward replacement.

Tyres13.3% of failures

Tyres fail for tread below the 1.6mm legal limit across the central three-quarters, uneven or exposed-cord wear, or sidewall damage. The tester inspects all four; a single illegal tyre is a fail.

The parts that fix each

If your car has just failed, you have 10 working days to fix the items and get a free partial retest. Confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying.

For the lamps & electrical failure: Renault Vivaro headlight and indicator bulbsShop Renault Vivaro headlight and indicator bulbs on AmazonaffiliateFind Renault Vivaro headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the visibility/wipers failure: Renault Vivaro wiper bladesShop Renault Vivaro wiper blades on AmazonaffiliateFind Renault Vivaro wiper blades on eBayaffiliate
For the brakes failure: Renault Vivaro brake pads and discsShop Renault Vivaro brake pads and discs on AmazonaffiliateFind Renault Vivaro brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the registration plate failure: Renault Vivaro number plateShop Renault Vivaro number plate on AmazonaffiliateFind Renault Vivaro number plate on eBayaffiliate
For the suspension failure: Renault Vivaro suspension springs and shock absorbersShop Renault Vivaro suspension springs and shock absorbers on AmazonaffiliateFind Renault Vivaro suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate
For the tyres failure: Renault Vivaro tyresShop Renault Vivaro tyres on AmazonaffiliateFind Renault Vivaro tyres on eBayaffiliate

Other models

All Renault models MOT failure rates comparedRanked worst to bestRenault Clio MOT failures32.7% failure rateRenault Megane MOT failures32.9% failure rateFord Fiesta MOT failures27.1% failure rate

Questions and answers

What is the MOT failure rate of the Renault Vivaro?

It fails 26.3% of its MOT tests across the DVSA record, from 57 tests.

What do these cars fail their MOT on most?

The most common failure area is lamps & electrical, at 66.7% of this model's failures.