Model Reports 8 min read Updated 12 Jul 2026

Renault Trafic 2016: reliability & common MOT faults

Elevated MOT failure patterns for the 2016 Renault Trafic include Track rod end (~7.5× peers) and Linkage ball joints (front) (~7.3× peers). Based on UK DVSA open data for test year 2025 (4,486 failed first-attempt tests), compared with similar age and mileage peers. Available test years: 2024, 2025.

4,486 failed first-attempt tests · 11,420 first tests (test year 2025)

Standout pattern: Track rod end — about 7.5× more often than on similar peer cars.

Key takeaways before you buy

  • Track rod end: about 7.5× more often than similar cars
  • Linkage ball joints (front): about 7.3× more often than similar cars
  • Track rod end (front): about 6.2× more often than similar cars

Common faults

These are MOT failure patterns that show up more often on this registration year than on similar cars of the same class, age band, and mileage in the same test year (leave-one-out peer comparison; whole model family excluded).

Statistical patterns from MOT defect codes — not manufacturer TSBs, recalls, or a diagnosis of any individual car. Fail and advisory patterns are kept separate.

Based on 4,486 failed first-attempt tests in test year 2025.

Track rod end

This failure pattern appears about 7.5× more often than on similar peer cars — recorded on 493 failed first-attempt tests; 11.0% of failed tests for this model year.

Any · 493 failures · ×7.5 vs similar cars · 11.0% of failed first tests · Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars

Linkage ball joints (front)

This failure pattern appears about 7.3× more often than on similar peer cars — recorded on 616 failed first-attempt tests; 13.7% of failed tests for this model year.

Front · 616 failures · ×7.3 vs similar cars · 13.7% of failed first tests · Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars

Track rod end (front)

This failure pattern appears about 6.2× more often than on similar peer cars — recorded on 1,210 failed first-attempt tests; 27.0% of failed tests for this model year.

Front · 1,210 failures · ×6.2 vs similar cars · 27.0% of failed first tests · Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars

# Fault pattern Location Failures vs similar cars Share of fails Confidence
1 Track rod end
Steering > Steering linkage components > Track rod end
 Any 493 ×7.5 11.0% Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars
2 Linkage ball joints (front)
Suspension > Anti-roll bars > Linkage ball joints
 Front 616 ×7.3 13.7% Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars
3 Track rod end (front)
Steering > Steering linkage components > Track rod end
 Front 1,210 ×6.2 27.0% Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars
4 Ball joint (front)
Suspension > Anti-roll bars > Ball joint
 Front 127 ×5.2 2.8% Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars
5 Shock absorbers (front)
Suspension > Shock absorbers
 Front 464 ×5.0 10.3% Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars
6 Coil spring (rear)
Suspension > Springs > Coil springs > Coil spring
 Rear 690 ×3.0 15.4% Likely common fault pattern

Only patterns that clear minimum sample and elevation thresholds are shown (at least 20 failures and 2.0× peer lift).

Wear patterns

These patterns look like wear or usage effects rather than model-specific design faults. Tyres, brake friction material, and alignment-related defects often track mileage and road use. They are not treated as a model design fault in our common-faults ranking.

# Pattern Location Failures vs similar cars Share of fails Confidence
1 Tyres — Size/type (rear)
Tyres > Size/type
 Rear 20 ×2.6 0.4% Wear / usage pattern — not treated as a model design fault

Advisories

Advisory items recorded on failed first-attempt tests that appear elevated versus peers. Advisories are not a fail rate — they flag issues noted at the test, often before they become failures.

# Advisory pattern Location Notes vs similar cars Share Confidence
1 Pins and bushes (front)
Suspension > Sub-frames > Pins and bushes
 Front 46 ×20.7 1.0% Possible elevated fault
2 Pins and bushes (front)
Suspension > Anti-roll bars > Pins and bushes
 Front 107 ×9.0 2.4% Likely common fault pattern
3 Seat belts — Condition
Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems > Seat belts > Condition
 Any 28 ×6.2 0.6% Possible elevated fault
4 Track rod end
Steering > Steering linkage components > Track rod end
 Any 87 ×6.1 1.9% Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars
5 Stop lamp
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Stop lamp
 Any 118 ×5.3 2.6% Elevated vs peers
6 Stop lamp (rear)
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Stop lamp
 Rear 58 ×4.7 1.3% Elevated vs peers
7 Ball joint (front)
Suspension > Anti-roll bars > Ball joint
 Front 49 ×4.6 1.1% Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars
8 Linkage ball joints (front)
Suspension > Anti-roll bars > Linkage ball joints
 Front 213 ×4.5 4.7% Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars

FAQs

We do not show a single reliability score for the 2016 Renault Trafic on this page. Among 4,486 failed first-attempt MOT tests (test year 2025), Track rod end appears more often than on similar peer cars (about 7.5× more often than peers; 493 observed failures; 11.0% of failed tests). Treat this as a pre-purchase checklist from DVSA open data — not a guarantee for any individual car.
Among failed first-attempt tests we surface patterns that appear more often than on similar peer cars. Top example: Track rod end (about 7.5× more often than peers; 493 observed failures; 11.0% of failed tests). These are statistical signals, not a diagnosis of any individual car.
Track rod end shows up more often than on similar peer cars (about 7.5× more often than peers; 493 observed failures; 11.0% of failed tests). That does not prove a causal design fault — age, mileage, and usage still matter. Treat it as a pre-purchase check point, not a manufacturer TSB.
Common MOT problem areas for the 2016 Renault Trafic include Track rod end, Linkage ball joints (front), Track rod end (front). These are elevated versus similar peer cars where lift clears our floors — 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 look elevated versus peers 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 elevated MOT failure patterns for the 2016 Renault Trafic (registration year) using UK DVSA open data for the selected test year. Patterns are ranked against similar age and mileage peers. It is a buyer checklist from MOT defect statistics — not a full service history or manufacturer TSB 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.
PRS means the vehicle 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.

About this data

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

PRS policy. PRS means the vehicle 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.

Peer baseline. We compare this model year with other class 4 cars of similar age and mileage in the same test year, excluding the whole model family so the car is not compared with itself (leave-one-out peer baseline).

Data years. Test years covered: 2024, 2025.

Limitations.

  • MOT tests do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronic modules — so this is not a full reliability score.
  • Common faults are inferred from MOT defect statistics, not manufacturer TSBs or recalls.
  • Matching on age and mileage reduces but does not remove every usage or maintenance difference between cars.
  • Pass rates and star scores appear only when those data marts are available; this page never invents them.

Display rules config: 1

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

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See brand-wide MOT rankings and year guidance for Renault (separate from this model-year report).