Used car guide

2018 Renault Scenic diesel: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the diesel Renault Scenic first registered in 2018 (diesel cars only): we looked at the 1,032 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

1,032MOTs of 2018 diesel cars, done in 2023–2025
79%pass first time (all 2018 cars: 83%)
7,200typical miles a year
3.4×the usual rate for headlights

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2018 Renault Scenic diesel?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2018 Renault Scenic diesel than on all cars registered in 2018.

  • Headlights3.4× usual
    Renault Scenic
    3.4% All 2018 cars
    1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.4%, against 0.9% of all 2018 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £40–£400 our estimate

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

Common 2018 Renault Scenic diesel MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2018 Renault Scenic diesel MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    31% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Brakes
    21% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Lights and electrics
    12% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Suspension
    10% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    4% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Seats and seatbelts
    2% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2018 Renault Scenic diesel

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

  1. Any recent work on the headlights? (Flagged at MOT 3.4× as often on the 2018 Renault Scenic diesel as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Renault Scenic?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

Every year of the Renault Scenic compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2026–Too new for MOT data
2025–Too new for MOT data
2024–Too new for MOT data
2019871Tyres 29%
20173,263Tyres 33%
20163,197Tyres 30%
20159,084Brakes 31%
20149,410Suspension 36%
20138,662Suspension 40%
20127,899Suspension 45%
201112,293Suspension 47%
201017,993Suspension 48%
20095,758Suspension 46%
20087,869Suspension 49%
20079,176Suspension 52%
20066,328Brakes 52%
20052,797Lights and electrics 52%
20041,957Lights and electrics 52%
20031,499Brakes 51%
20021,140Brakes 51%
2001643Brakes 46%
2000204Brakes 46%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of Renault Scenic cars first registered in 2018. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score