MOT failures by make
Dacia MOT failures for “Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play”
Dacia cars failed their MOT on “Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play” in 1.07% of 373,836 tests in 2023–2024 (4,018 tests) — 2.3 times as often as comparable cars of the same age, mileage and fuel, which would have failed on it in about 0.48% of tests. It is the number 14 most common failure item on Dacias.
Data to 2024-12-30 · Page updated 2026-09-28 · Publisher: 73 Auto
- Dacia tests failing on it
- 1.07%
- 4,018 of 373,836 tests, 2023–2024
- Comparable cars
- 0.48%
- national rate at the same age, mileage and fuel
- Observed ÷ expected
- 2.26×
- 73 Auto analysis · rank #14 for Dacia
How unusual this is for the make
Across all MOT failures, Dacias fail 1.46× as often as comparable cars. On this item the gap is 1.55× wider than that overall level, so it is a genuine Dacia pattern rather than a reflection of how often the make fails in general. It is a major defect in the steering part of the test. Nationally it appears on 1.07% of MOT tests.
Dacia models and “Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play”
The Dacia Duster is most affected (2.87× comparable cars); the Dacia Logan least (1.52×). Every model listed is above the national rate, so the pattern runs across the range. Model rows compare with cars of the same age and fuel.
| Model | Tests | Failed on it | vs similar cars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dacia Duster | 136,230 | 1.50% | 2.87× |
| Dacia Sandero | 205,898 | 0.83% | 1.70× |
| Dacia Logan | 31,576 | 0.86% | 1.52× |
By age at test
The difference is largest at 3-4 years old: 0.33% of Dacia tests against 0.07% for comparable cars.
| Age (years) | Dacia tests | Dacia | Comparable cars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-4 | 93,150 | 0.33% | 0.07% |
| 5-6 | 91,436 | 0.57% | 0.20% |
| 7-8 | 92,849 | 1.41% | 0.64% |
| 9-10 | 62,559 | 2.73% | 1.34% |
| 11-12 | 5,258 | 3.19% | 1.79% |
Other Dacia MOT faults that stand out
- Horn: not working · 11.75× comparable cars
- Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt · 4.92× comparable cars
- Headlamp aim: too low · 3.69× comparable cars
- Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect · 4.69× comparable cars
- Headlamp: not working on dipped beam · 2.96× comparable cars
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively · 1.88× comparable cars
- Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn · 2.36× comparable cars
- Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid · 2.13× comparable cars
- Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps · 2.29× comparable cars
- Washers: not working · 2.23× comparable cars
Limitations
Official data: DVSA's anonymised MOT results (2023–2024), class 4 initial tests, cars at least 2.5 years old. 73 Auto analysis: the comparison rate applies the national rate of this item for each test's own age, mileage band and fuel to the Dacia tests. An MOT result reflects maintenance, mileage and how a car is used as well as its design, so this is not a measure of which make is most reliable. The wording of the defect is DVSA's.
Has this Dacia failed on it before?
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UK number plate or 17-character VIN
Where these figures come from
- Anonymised MOT tests and results (2023 and 2024) — Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). Open Government Licence v3.0.
Figures labelled as 73 Auto estimates are our own analysis of these sources, set out in the methodology and data sources. To report a factual error, see corrections.