Diesel Dacia Sandero: MOT pass rate

65.9% of diesel Dacia Sanderos pass the MOT first time, measured across 21,560 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 72,307.

Diesel against the other Dacia Sandero versions

Why the fuel type changes the number

Diesels carry DPFs, EGR valves and stricter smoke limits, so emissions and exhaust faults account for failures petrol cars never see.

On the Dacia Sandero specifically, petrol is the strongest at 77.9%, and this diesel version sits 9.4 points below the 75.3% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

The diesel Dacia Sandero fails more often than the model average, so budget for the items that catch this fuel type and treat a fresh MOT as worth paying for. Buying a damaged one? run it through the analyzer, check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.

Mileage is part of the answer

The average diesel Dacia Sandero had covered 72,307 miles at test, against 46,333 for the petrol. That is a shade above the middle of the range, still ordinary wear rather than a red flag, but worth checking against the service book for the car's age.

Fuel type and mileage are tangled together: diesels are usually bought by higher-mileage drivers, so some of any gap between fuels is the miles rather than the engine. The per-year figures on the Dacia Sandero page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Most common MOT failures on a diesel Dacia Sandero

1. Audible warning inoperative, 2.7% of tests (9.42x the national rate for this defect)
2. A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 9.4% of tests (6.11x the national rate for this defect)
3. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 3.9% of tests (3.72x the national rate for this defect)
4. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 6.7% of tests (2.93x the national rate for this defect)
5. A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps, 2.1% of tests (2.32x the national rate for this defect)
6. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 2.9% of tests (2.2x the national rate for this defect)
7. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 3.6% of tests (2.11x the national rate for this defect)
8. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 2.6% of tests (2.01x the national rate for this defect)
9. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 9.3% of tests (1.86x the national rate for this defect)
10. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 4.1% of tests (1.74x the national rate for this defect)

From 21,640 DVSA-tracked diesel Dacia Sandero tests, 2024, split out from the Dacia Sandero's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 6.91% of these flagged defects as "dangerous", against 5.11% nationally. See which fuel type fails on the most dangerous defects nationally for how that compares across the whole fleet.

Most common MOT advisories on a diesel Dacia Sandero

Flagged but doesn't fail the car, a different list from the failures above.

1. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 5% of tests (2.48x the national rate for this defect), also fails
2. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 4.1% of tests (1.28x the national rate for this defect)
3. A tyre seriously damaged, 19.6% of tests (1.27x the national rate for this defect)
4. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 15.5% of tests (1.27x the national rate for this defect)
5. A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mounting, 1.3% of tests (1.26x the national rate for this defect)
6. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 26.8% of tests
7. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 10.6% of tests, also fails
8. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 5.8% of tests
9. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 4.9% of tests
10. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 2.7% of tests, also fails

From 21,640 DVSA-tracked diesel Dacia Sandero tests, 2024.

Other Dacia Sandero fuel types

• Petrol Dacia Sandero - 77.9%

All Dacia Sandero MOT data · Every model