The MOT Files

Known faults, from the test record

Renault Twingo common problems

What fails on the Renault Twingo at MOT, which parts are behind it, and how each model year compares. From 23,744 DVSA test records.

Data updated

Quick answer

The Renault Twingo's most common MOT problems are suspension bushes, tyres, coil springs, recorded in 31.4%, 23.7% and 23.4% of failed tests respectively. By model year, 2017 cars pass most often (76.6%) and 2011 cars least (51.0%), 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 Twingo 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 23,744 cars.

By component

What wears out on a Twingo

Failure items grouped by the part behind them, with the share of failed Renault Twingo 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. 1.Suspension bushes

    31.4% of failed tests

    Rubber 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” — explained16.0%
    • “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained5.4%
    • “A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing excessively worn” — explained3.5%
    • “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained2.4%

    Across all cars, suspension bushes failures climb 20-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long suspension bushes last

  2. 2.Tyres

    23.7% of failed tests

    Tread 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” — explained11.9%
    • “A tyre cords visible or damaged” — explained4.9%
    • “A tyre seriously damaged” — explained3.9%
    • “A tyre seriously damaged” — explained3.0%

    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. 3.Coil springs

    23.4% of failed tests

    Springs 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” — explained23.4%

    Across all cars, coil springs failures climb 20-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 12–14 years. How long coil springs last

  4. 4.Bulbs and lamps

    21.7% of failed tests

    Filament bulbs simply expire; the cheapest and most avoidable failure on the test, and one of the most recorded.

    • “A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning” — explained8.0%
    • “Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements” — explained5.0%
    • “A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps” — explained4.1%
    • “Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning” — explained3.0%

    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. 5.Wiper blades and washers

    14.5% of failed tests

    Rubber blades harden and split within a year or two; washer jets block and pumps fail.

    • “Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen” — explained5.6%
    • “Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen” — explained4.9%
    • “Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen” — explained4.0%

    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

  6. 6.Catalytic converter and emissions

    12.1% of failed tests

    Catalysts degrade with age and misfires; a failed emissions reading is usually the catalyst, a lambda sensor or a tired engine.

    • “Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer” — explained10.0%
    • “Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits” — explained2.0%

  7. 7.Ball joints

    11.9% of failed tests

    Steering and suspension ball joints wear internally and their dust covers split; excessive play fails.

    • “A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play” — explained11.9%

    Across all cars, ball joints failures climb 28-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 12–14 years. How long ball joints last

  8. 8.Exhaust system

    7.8% of failed tests

    Silencers and pipes rust through from the inside on short-trip cars; rubber hangers perish.

    • “Exhaust system leaking or insecure” — explained6.2%
    • “An induction or exhaust leak that could affect emissions levels” — explained1.5%

    Across all cars, exhaust system failures climb 104-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long exhaust system last

By registration year

Twingo problems by year

MOT pass rate for Renault Twingo 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 2015, up 8.9 points, is larger than wear explains and most likely marks a change in the cars themselves.

200852%
200955%+2.5
201055%+0.5
201151%−4.3
201258%+6.7
201567%+8.9
201669%+2.3
201777%+7.7

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 Twingo owners about

Advisories are the same parts a year or two earlier. Share of all Renault Twingo tests carrying an advisory for each.

Go deeper

The rest of the Twingo file

Common questions

What are the most common problems with a Renault Twingo?
Going by what fails the MOT, suspension bushes (recorded in 31.4% of failed tests), tyres (recorded in 23.7% of failed tests), and coil springs (recorded in 23.4% of failed tests). These are the items testers actually record across 23,744 tests, not reports from owners, so they describe what goes wrong at the point where it has to be fixed.
Which Renault Twingo year is the most reliable?
By MOT pass rate, Renault Twingo cars registered in 2017 do best at 76.6% and 2011 cars do worst at 51.0%. 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 2015, up 8.9 points on 2014.
Is the Renault Twingo reliable?
Adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, the Renault Twingo passes 58.5% 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 Twingo?
Start with what fails most: suspension bushes, tyres, coil springs. 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