Used car guide · 2013–2021

Dacia Logan common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Dacia Logan, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 46,218 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

46,218MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model
14,943on the UK register
2013best year at its MOT

Pick the year

Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).

202120202019201820172016201520142013

What usually goes wrong with a Dacia Logan?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Dacia Logan in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.

Common Dacia Logan MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, for each fuel on its own. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.

Petrol

  • Headlight aim

    up to 5.1× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

    Rough price £20–£60 our estimate

    At the viewing: Park facing a wall at night or in a garage and check both headlight beams sit level. Aim is a cheap adjustment.

  • Anti-roll bar link bushes

    up to 26.5× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

    Rough price £100–£280 (pair of drop links) Checkatrade

    At the viewing: Drive slowly over bumps and listen for a knock or rattle from the front. Worn anti-roll bar links are a cheap fix.

  • Headlights

    up to 4.6× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

    Rough price £40–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check both headlights on dipped and full beam, and look for cloudy or cracked lenses.

  • Number plate lights

    up to 2.7× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2014, 2015, 2018 and 2019.

    Rough price £5–£40 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the number plate lights work and the plates are clean and legal.

  • Wipers

    up to 2.3× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

    Rough price £15–£60 our estimate

    At the viewing: Test the wipers and washers on every speed.

  • Washers

    up to 2.6× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2016, 2017 and 2020.

    Rough price £15–£60 our estimate

    At the viewing: Test the wipers and washers on every speed.

Diesel

  • Headlight aim

    up to 5.4× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

    Rough price £20–£60 our estimate

    At the viewing: Park facing a wall at night or in a garage and check both headlight beams sit level. Aim is a cheap adjustment.

  • Number plate lights

    up to 4.6× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

    Rough price £5–£40 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the number plate lights work and the plates are clean and legal.

  • Anti-roll bar link bushes

    up to 27× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.

    Rough price £100–£280 (pair of drop links) Checkatrade

    At the viewing: Drive slowly over bumps and listen for a knock or rattle from the front. Worn anti-roll bar links are a cheap fix.

  • Headlights

    up to 5.1× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

    Rough price £40–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check both headlights on dipped and full beam, and look for cloudy or cracked lenses.

  • Anti-roll bar links

    up to 31× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2016 and 2017.

    Rough price £100–£280 (pair of drop links) Checkatrade

    At the viewing: Drive slowly over bumps and listen for a knock or rattle from the front. Worn anti-roll bar links are a cheap fix.

  • Horn

    up to 24× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2014 and 2015.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

Dacia Logan MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2013 Dacia Logan did best (66% passed first time, 1 point below all 2013 cars) and the 2019 did worst (75%, 10 points below all 2019 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
202172%87% -15154 (small sample)
202080%87% -72,473
201975%85% -106,840
201873%83% -105,319
201771%80% -96,849
201671%77% -68,274
201564%74% -108,988
201463%70% -76,099
201366%67% -11,222

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Dacia Logan

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the headlight aim? (Flagged at MOT 5.2× as often on the Dacia Logan as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the number plate lights? (Flagged at MOT 3.3× as often on the Dacia Logan as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the anti-roll bar link bushes? (Flagged at MOT 26.7× as often on the Dacia Logan as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Dacia Logan?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score