Model Reports 8 min read Updated 11 Sep 2026 DVSA open data · 6,706 tests analysed

Renault Trafic 2018: reliability & common MOT faults

2,372 first-attempt MOT failures were recorded on the 2018 Renault Trafic in 2025. Figures are among first-attempt failed MOT tests, not among all tests.

Track rod end (front) was the most common reason a 2018 Trafic failed its MOT — 18.5% of its failed first attempts.

First-attempt pass

64.6%

of 6,706 first tests (2025)

First tests

6,706

test year 2025

Failed first attempts

2,372

failed first-attempt tests

MOT pass rates

First-attempt and official-style rates among class 4 first tests of the year.

First-attempt pass

64.6%

of 6,706 first tests (2025)

Official-style pass

70.3%

incl. same-day PRS fixes

First tests

6,706

class 4 · first MOT of the year

Typical age 7.0 yrs · median mileage 85,299 mi

vs 2024: -2.9 pp first-attempt

Note:

  • Class 4 cars · first MOT of the year per vehicle · P/PRS/F outcomes (2025 data).
  • PRS (fixed at the station the same day) counts as a fail in the first-attempt rate.
  • Raw outcomes for this cohort — not adjusted for age, mileage, or peer mix.
  • MOT doesn't test engine or gearbox internals.

Common faults

Failure patterns that show up more often on this registration year than on similar cars.

These MOT failure patterns show up more often on this registration year than on similar cars of the same class, age, and mileage.

Shares below are measured across the 2,364 of 2,372 failed first attempts (99.7%) that recorded an odometer reading in 2025 — the subset the age-and-mileage comparison can be computed on.

Standout: Linkage ball joints (front) — 13.0% of this year's failed first attempts

Recorded on 307 of those tests. It tops the table on elevation — about 11× more often than on similar cars of the same age and mileage. That is what makes it unusual for its class, which is a different question from what is most likely to fail; the buying checklist ranks by that. The full ranked list is in the table below.

Fault pattern Location Failures vs similar cars Share of fails Confidence
Linkage ball joints (front)
Suspension > Anti-roll bars > Linkage ball joints
 Front 307 ×11 13.0% Strong
Daytime running lamps (front)
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Daytime running lamps
 Front 166 ×10 7.0% Strong
Ball joint (front)
Suspension > Anti-roll bars > Ball joint
 Front 67 ×8.0 2.8% Likely
Track rod end (front)
Steering > Steering linkage components > Track rod end
 Front 438 ×6.5 18.5% Strong
Shock absorbers (front)
Suspension > Shock absorbers
 Front 260 ×6.3 11.0% Strong
Ball joint (front)
Suspension > Suspension arms > Ball joint
 Front 281 ×3.6 11.9% Likely
Diesel emissions test (compression-ignition rules for vehicles from 01/01/2014) Any 66 ×2.7 2.8% Possible
Malfunction indicator lamp
Noise, emissions and leaks > Exhaust emissions > Compression ignition > Malfunction indicator lamp
 Any 273 ×2.5 11.5% Possible
Coil spring (rear)
Suspension > Springs > Coil springs > Coil spring
 Rear 187 ×2.4 7.9% Possible

Only patterns that clear minimum sample and elevation thresholds are shown (at least 20 failures and about 2.0× more often than similar cars).

Note: Rates and comparisons are among first-attempt failed tests, not all MOTs. Patterns come from MOT defect codes — not manufacturer service bulletins, recalls, or a diagnosis of any individual car. Failures and advisories are listed separately.

Advisories

Notes recorded at the test that appear more often than on similar cars.

Advisory notes recorded on failed first-attempt tests that appear more often than on similar cars.

Advisory pattern Location Notes vs similar cars Share Confidence
Linkage ball joints (front)
Suspension > Anti-roll bars > Linkage ball joints
 Front 140 ×8.9 5.9% Strong
Pins and bushes (front)
Suspension > Anti-roll bars > Pins and bushes
 Front 49 ×8.8 2.1% Likely
Stop lamp (rear)
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Stop lamp
 Rear 73 ×8.2 3.1% Elevated
Track rod end (front)
Steering > Steering linkage components > Track rod end
 Front 101 ×6.9 4.3% Strong
Ball joint (front)
Suspension > Anti-roll bars > Ball joint
 Front 24 ×6.5 1.0% Likely
Pedal
Brakes > Service brake pedal or hand lever > Pedal
 Any 44 ×5.7 1.9% Elevated
Ball joint (front)
Suspension > Suspension arms > Ball joint
 Front 139 ×4.2 5.9% Likely
Pins and bushes (front)
Suspension > Macpherson strut > Pins and bushes
 Front 23 ×4.0 1.0% Elevated
Note: Advisories are not a fail rate — they flag issues noted at the test, often before they become failures.

If you are buying one

What this year's MOT record means for the decision in front of you.

Nothing separates this year from the Trafics either side of it, so buy on the individual car. The checks below are the items that actually failed 2018 Trafics, commonest first.

Other Trafic years worth knowing about

Newer cars always pass more often, so a plain "best year" list would just rank by age. These are the years that beat or miss the trend their own neighbouring years set — the only age-adjusted signal this data supports.

Year vs the years either side First-attempt pass (rises with newer cars) First tests
2020 Trafic +3.3 pp better 76.4% 4,163
2016 Trafic +1.5 pp better 60.4% 11,420
2022 Trafic -3.6 pp worse 76.9% 4,715

What to check on a 2018 Trafic

The items that failed 2018 Trafics most often, as a share of the year's failed first attempts. This is what goes wrong, not what is unusual — the table further up the page covers that.

  • Track rod end (front) — recorded on 18.5% of failed first attempts
  • Linkage ball joints (front) — recorded on 13.0% of failed first attempts
  • Ball joint (front) — recorded on 11.9% of failed first attempts
  • Malfunction indicator lamp — recorded on 11.5% of failed first attempts
  • Shock absorbers (front) — recorded on 11.0% of failed first attempts

Every figure here is a first-attempt MOT rate from DVSA open data for this model line. MOTs do not test engine or gearbox internals, so this is a pre-purchase checklist, not a full reliability score.

FAQs

Short answers about how to read this model-year guide.

Track rod end (front) was the most common reason a 2018 Trafic failed its MOT — 18.5% of its failed first attempts. In 2025, 64.6% of 6,706 first MOTs on the 2018 Renault Trafic passed first time (PRS — items fixed at the station the same day — counted as a fail). The official-style rate including PRS is 70.3%. Among 2,372 failed first-attempt MOT tests (test year 2025), Linkage ball joints (front) appears more ofte…
Ranked by how often they were actually recorded, the items that failed 2018 Renault Trafics most often at the first attempt were Track rod end (front) (18.5%), Linkage ball joints (front) (13.0%) and Ball joint (front) (11.9%) — each as a share of the year's failed first attempts. That is what goes wrong on the car. It is a different question from which patterns are unusual for the class, which the common-faults tab…
Among failed first-attempt tests we highlight patterns that appear more often than on similar cars. Top example: Linkage ball joints (front) (13.0% of those tests; 307 observed failures; about 11× more often than similar cars). These are statistical signals, not a diagnosis of any individual car.
Linkage ball joints (front) shows up more often than on similar cars (13.0% of those tests; 307 observed failures; about 11× more often than similar cars). That does not prove a design fault — age, mileage, and how the car was used still matter. Treat it as a pre-purchase check point, not a manufacturer service bulletin.
Common MOT problem areas for the 2018 Renault Trafic include Linkage ball joints (front), Daytime running lamps (front), Track rod end (front). These patterns show up more often than on similar cars after we filter out sparse noise — not a full list of every possible fault on an individual car.
Advisories flag issues noted at the test and are not a fail rate. We show advisory patterns that appear more often than on similar cars among failed first-attempt tests, separate from common failure rows. Use them as early-warning checks, not as a pass/fail score.
This page highlights MOT failure patterns for the 2018 Renault Trafic (registration year) using UK DVSA open data for the selected test year. Patterns are compared with cars of a similar age and mileage. It is a buyer checklist from MOT defect statistics — not a full service history or manufacturer service-bulletin list.
No. MOT tests do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronic modules. Patterns here come from MOT defect statistics only and should not be read as engine or gearbox reliability scores.

About this data

How this page is built and what it can (and can't) say.

These figures come from UK MOT open data for this model year. We surface common failure patterns against similar cars — not a full reliability score, and not a pass/fail verdict on any individual vehicle.

2024 2025

What we include

UK Class 4 cars only. Normal MOT tests (not retests); first test per vehicle per calendar year; results pass, PRS, or fail.

Same-day repairs

PRS means the car failed items that were fixed at the test station and then passed the same day. We count PRS as a first-attempt fail in headline rates so same-day repairs do not hide problems.

How we compare

We compare this model year with other Class 4 cars of similar age and mileage in the same test year. This model family is left out of the peer group so the car is not measured against itself.

What this does not cover

  • MOTs do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronics — this is not a full reliability score.
  • Common faults come from MOT defect stats, not manufacturer TSBs or recalls.
  • Age and mileage matching reduces — but does not remove — differences in how cars were used and maintained.
  • We never invent pass rates, star scores, or ranks when those data marts are missing.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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