2015 Renault Trafic 1.6L Diesel · DV57 RAM

A broken offside front coil spring recorded as a Major failure on the most recent attempt is the single most significant item in this vehicle's recent history, as a fractured spring compromises both ride height and tyre contact on that corner and is a direct safety defect. The vehicle was presented for retest the following day, 30 December 2025, and passed cleanly with no advisories, indicating that the spring was replaced and that the rest of the inspected items were within tolerance at that point. Looking further back, the pattern is largely one of passed tests carrying advisories rather than structural failures, but the brake-related advisory cluster from 2024 deserves attention. That test flagged binding and fluctuating front brake action together with slight play in the nearside front track rod end ball joint, three items that together point to the front axle wearing through its consumables. Pitted front brake discs were noted on two consecutive passes in 2022 and 2023, while both rear tyres were recorded as being worn close to the legal limit in 2023, showing that consumable wear had been progressing steadily before the spring failure. The fact that the 2025 pass was completely clean after the spring replacement suggests the remedial work has addressed the immediate risk, though a buyer should be alert to the possibility that further front-suspension wear is imminent given the recent cluster of advisories. With around 42,234 miles recorded across eleven years, this Trafic has covered roughly 3,800 miles per year, which is low for a working van of this type and well below what one would expect from regular commercial or family shuttle use. Such modest annual mileage can be consistent with a vehicle that has been used lightly or intermittently, but it also raises the possibility of extended standing periods between uses. Periods of inactivity are particularly relevant here because the recorded defects have all been at the front axle: a fractured coil spring, binding front brakes, a worn track rod end, and pitted front discs. Coil springs on commercial vehicles are prone to fatigue failure after many short, cold starts from cold rather than long steady runs, and brake caliper slides seize more readily on vans that are started and moved only short distances, allowing corrosion to build on the pad backs and guide pins. A low-mileage van should therefore not be assumed to be mechanically superior to a higher-mileage example purely on the odometer figure; the front suspension and under-bonnet ancillaries deserve close physical inspection rather than reassurance from the low number alone. A prospective buyer should make a point of inspecting the front suspension thoroughly, ideally with the vehicle raised, paying particular attention to both front coil springs for any signs of surface cracking or rust pitting at the lower coils, as the offside failure suggests the nearside unit may be approaching a similar condition. The front brake calipers should be checked for free sliding movement on their guide pins and the pads examined for uneven wear, especially on the inner pad of any caliper that was binding during the 2024 test, as a sticking caliper will often wear one pad down much faster than its partner. On the nearside front, the track rod end should be rocked with the wheel lifted to detect any renewed play in the ball joint, and the steering should be checked for vagueness or a knocking sensation over speed bumps. A test drive should include several firm stops from at least 30 mph to feel for any pull to one side, pedal judder indicating the pitted discs are now warped, or a dragging sensation suggesting the caliper binding has returned. Both front tyres should be inspected for uneven inner-edge wear, which is a classic symptom of a weakened front spring allowing the camber to alter under load, and the rear pair should be checked for legal tread depth given the 2023 advisory noting wear close to the limit. Finally, a general but targeted appraisal is worthwhile: with the spring replaced only weeks before the most recent pass, the rest of the front axle geometry should be checked for any signs of disturbance from the spring failure or the subsequent repair, including tyre wear patterns and any knocking from the top mounts. The wiper blades were noted as smearing in 2024, a minor item but useful as a quick functional check on a viewing, and the rest of the van should be inspected for the usual commercial-vehicle concerns such as load-floor integrity and rear door hinge wear that would not appear in the MOT record. Overall, the paperwork tells a story of a lightly used van whose front-end consumables are reaching the end of their service life, with the fractured spring being the headline event rather than an isolated incident, and a careful physical inspection of the suspension and braking system is the most productive use of time before purchase.