Used car guide

2019 Renault Captur: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the Renault Captur first registered in 2019: we looked at the 59,110 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

59,110MOTs of 2019 cars, done in 2023–2025
84%pass first time (all 2019 cars: 85%)
6,000typical miles a year
1.7×the usual rate for wipers

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2019 Renault Captur?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2019 Renault Captur than on all cars registered in 2019.

  • Wipers1.7× usual
    Renault Captur
    5.2% All 2019 cars
    3.1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.9%, against 2% of all 2019 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £15–£60 our estimate

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

  • Braking performance2.3× usual
    Renault Captur
    2.1% All 2019 cars
    0.9%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.8%, against 0.3% of all 2019 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: On a quiet road, brake firmly from about 30mph. The car should stop straight without pulling.

Common 2019 Renault Captur MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2019 Renault Captur MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    29% 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
    16% 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.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    7% of testsRough price £15–£250

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

  • Lights and electrics
    6% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Seats and seatbelts
    3% of testsRough price £80–£250

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

  • Suspension
    3% 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.

Known faults on the 2019 Renault Captur

Reported by owners, mechanics and buying guides for this model and age. Check which engine the car has, as some apply to one engine only.

  • Cambelt due every 6 years or 90,000 miles

    All engines

    Every Captur engine uses a cambelt, and it's an expensive job if it's due soon. If it snaps it can wreck the engine.

    At the viewing: Look for a receipt for the cambelt change in the service history.

    If it needs doing: Timing belt (cambelt) change, about £300–£700 (often with the water pump). ClickMechanic

    Source: Carbuyer: used Renault Captur Mk1 reliability

  • Gearbox complaints

    All engines

    Gearbox problems were the top complaint from Captur owners in Carbuyer's survey.

    At the viewing: Try every gear, and on automatics pull away gently several times to check for judder.

    If it needs doing: Gearbox sensor or solenoid, about £200–£500. ClickMechanic

    Source: Carbuyer: used Renault Captur Mk1 reliability

  • Erratic stop-start

    All engines

    The stop-start can work on and off or stop working, often from a sensor or a weak battery.

    At the viewing: Watch whether stop-start works in traffic, and ask how old the battery is.

    Source: Carbuyer: used Renault Captur Mk1 reliability

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2019 Renault Captur

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

  1. When was the cambelt last changed?
  2. Has the gearbox had any work?
  3. Has the battery been replaced?
  4. Any recent work on the wipers? (Flagged at MOT 1.7× as often on the 2019 Renault Captur as on other cars the same age.)
  5. Any recent work on the braking performance? (Flagged at MOT 2.3× as often on the 2019 Renault Captur as on other cars the same age.)
  6. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Renault Captur?

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 Captur compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2026–Too new for MOT data
2025–Too new for MOT data
2024–Too new for MOT data
2023446Tyres 19%
20229,327Tyres 26%
202119,922Tyres 25%
202039,564Tyres 25%
201861,310Tyres 33%
201757,478Tyres 33%
201671,996Tyres 33%
201567,656Tyres 34%
201454,170Tyres 35%
201317,062Suspension 38%

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 Captur cars first registered in 2019. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score