Known faults, from the test record
Renault Captur common problems
What fails on the Renault Captur at MOT, which parts are behind it, and how each model year compares. From 162,549 DVSA test records.
Data updated
Quick answer
The Renault Captur's most common MOT problems are suspension bushes, tyres, wiper blades and washers, recorded in 37.6%, 34.3% and 16.0% of failed tests respectively. By model year, 2022 cars pass most often (91.5%) and 2013 cars least (55.2%), though most of that gap is age. Every figure here is what testers recorded, not what owners reported.
A “common problems” list is usually a forum thread: whoever had the worst day writes the longest post. This one is built the other way, from every Renault Captur that took an MOT last year and what the tester wrote down. It cannot see breakdowns, electrical gremlins or a gearbox that hunts, because the test does not check those. What it can see, it sees across 162,549 cars.
By component
What wears out on a Captur
Failure items grouped by the part behind them, with the share of failed Renault Captur tests recording each. A part can carry several DVSA wordings; they are listed beneath. One failed test often lists several items, so shares do not sum to 100%.
1.Suspension bushes
37.6% of failed testsRubber bushes in arms and links perish and split with age and load; the most recorded suspension item on the test.
- “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained17.0%
- “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained7.5%
- “A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc” — explained5.4%
- “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained3.2%
Across all cars, suspension bushes failures climb 20-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long suspension bushes last
2.Tyres
34.3% of failed testsTread wears with every mile and sidewalls age and take kerb damage; the legal minimum is 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters.
- “Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements” — explained14.2%
- “A tyre cords visible or damaged” — explained9.1%
- “A tyre seriously damaged” — explained7.2%
- “A tyre seriously damaged” — explained3.7%
Across all cars, tyres failures run at a similar rate at every age, because they are replaced on a cycle rather than wearing out with the car. How long tyres last
3.Wiper blades and washers
16.0% of failed testsRubber blades harden and split within a year or two; washer jets block and pumps fail.
- “Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen” — explained10.1%
- “Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen” — explained3.2%
- “Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen” — explained2.7%
Across all cars, wiper blades and washers failures run at a similar rate at every age, because they are replaced on a cycle rather than wearing out with the car. How long wiper blades and washers last
4.Bulbs and lamps
15.7% of failed testsFilament bulbs simply expire; the cheapest and most avoidable failure on the test, and one of the most recorded.
- “Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning” — explained4.8%
- “A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps” — explained3.7%
- “A reversing lamp inoperative” — explained2.3%
- “A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning” — explained2.1%
Across all cars, bulbs and lamps failures climb 15-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long bulbs and lamps last
5.Coil springs
13.9% of failed testsSprings fatigue and corrode where the coating chips, then snap, often at the bottom coil; potholes and salt accelerate it.
- “A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened” — explained13.9%
Across all cars, coil springs failures climb 20-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 12–14 years. How long coil springs last
6.Parking brake
10.9% of failed testsCables stretch and seize, rear shoes and adjusters wear; efficiency is measured on the roller tester against the vehicle's weight.
7.Brake callipers
9.0% of failed testsPistons and slider pins seize with corrosion and disuse, dragging a brake on or leaving one side weak; shows as imbalance on the roller tester.
- “Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake” — explained6.3%
- “Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake” — explained1.4%
- “Brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle.” — explained1.3%
8.Brake pads and shoes
7.3% of failed testsFriction material wears with use; the MOT limit is 1.5 mm and a pad that thin is close to metal on metal.
- “a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm” — explained7.3%
Across all cars, brake pads and shoes failures run at a similar rate at every age, because they are replaced on a cycle rather than wearing out with the car. How long brake pads and shoes last
By registration year
Captur problems by year
MOT pass rate for Renault Captur cars by the year they were first registered, from years with at least 1,000 tests. Every car in a row is the same age, so the rate is raw. Neighbouring years differ by a year of wear — a step of a point or two is age. The step at 2014, up 8.9 points, is larger than wear explains and most likely marks a change in the cars themselves.
Last column: change on the previous year, in points. Years registered within the last three years have not yet been tested and are not shown.
Before it fails
What testers warn Captur owners about
Advisories are the same parts a year or two earlier. Share of all Renault Captur tests carrying an advisory for each.
- Tyres49.2% of tests
- Brake discs12.9% of tests
- Brake pads and shoes6.8% of tests
- Suspension bushes5.4% of tests
- Brake callipers2.5% of tests
Go deeper
The rest of the Captur file
Common questions
- What are the most common problems with a Renault Captur?
- Going by what fails the MOT, suspension bushes (recorded in 37.6% of failed tests), tyres (recorded in 34.3% of failed tests), and wiper blades and washers (recorded in 16.0% of failed tests). These are the items testers actually record across 162,549 tests, not reports from owners, so they describe what goes wrong at the point where it has to be fixed.
- Which Renault Captur year is the most reliable?
- By MOT pass rate, Renault Captur cars registered in 2022 do best at 91.5% and 2013 cars do worst at 55.2%. Most of that ordering is simply age — newer cars pass more — so read the year table for steps larger than a couple of points between neighbouring years; those mark a change in the cars rather than the calendar. The largest such step is at 2014, up 8.9 points on 2013.
- Is the Renault Captur reliable?
- Adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, the Renault Captur passes 70.8% of MOTs against a national 72.3%. An MOT measures roadworthiness on the day rather than breakdowns or running costs, so this is a reliability measure in the narrow sense: how often the car meets the legal standard, and what stops it.
- What should I check when buying a used Renault Captur?
- Start with what fails most: suspension bushes, tyres, wiper blades and washers. Then read the car's own MOT history for advisories carried year to year without repair — the model tells you what to expect, the history tells you whether this owner dealt with it.
Analysis built from DVSA data of