Nissan Gt R MOT pass rate & common failures
The Nissan Gt R appears in 12,322 MOT tests spanning model years 1989–2024, and 95.2% of them passed. That is 10.7 percentage points better than coupes & convertibles of a similar age, which fail at 15.5%. Its most common failure areas are tyres, emissions & environmental and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (1.8%) and emissions & environmental (1.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, registration plates and headlamp aim — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 268 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 3.6% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 15.6% once past 120-150k — 4.3× the risk.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 8.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 5.9% in 2021 to 3.9% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Gt R model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 113 | 97.4% | 2.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 3,256 | 94.9% | 5.1% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2010 | 1,560 | 94.7% | 5.3% | Tyres |
| 2011 | 968 | 94.0% | 6.0% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2012 | 814 | 95.5% | 4.5% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2013 | 661 | 94.3% | 5.8% | Tyres |
| 2014 | 751 | 95.5% | 4.5% | Tyres |
| 2015 | 733 | 95.6% | 4.4% | Tyres |
| 2016 | 845 | 95.2% | 4.9% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2017 | 1,154 | 96.4% | 3.6% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 672 | 96.3% | 3.7% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 410 | 97.1% | 2.9% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 220 | 94.5% | 5.5% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 81 | 97.5% | 2.5% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 1.8% | 217 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 1.7% | 215 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.2% | 153 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.1% | 130 |
| 5 | Brakes | 0.7% | 91 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.6% | 71 |
| 7 | Suspension | 0.5% | 57 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.3% | 32 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 268 |
| 2 | Registration plates | 101 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 91 |
| 4 | Wipers | 90 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 88 |
| 6 | Catalytic converter | 71 |
| 7 | Washers | 67 |
| 8 | Position lamp | 52 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 8.3% | 1,027 |
| 2 | Brakes | 6.9% | 855 |
| 3 | Suspension | 4.4% | 540 |
| 4 | Other defects | 1.4% | 174 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.1% | 139 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.9% | 110 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 4,587 | 3.6% |
| 30-60k | 5,185 | 4.7% |
| 60-90k | 2,206 | 6.4% |
| 90-120k | 269 | 10.8% |
| 120-150k | 45 | 15.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,545 | 5.9% |
| 2022 | 2,462 | 4.8% |
| 2023 | 2,493 | 4.6% |
| 2024 | 2,404 | 4.7% |
| 2025 | 2,418 | 3.9% |
What to check before buying a Nissan Gt R
- Tyres (1.8% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Emissions & environmental (1.7% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Lighting & signalling (1.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Nissan Gt R?
95.2% of the 12,322 Nissan Gt R MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 4.8% fail rate, across model years 1989–2024.
What does the Nissan Gt R most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 1.8% of tests, then emissions & environmental (1.7%).
How much does mileage affect Gt R MOT results?
Fail rates run at 3.6% for cars in the 0-30k band and 15.6% for 120-150k, a 11.9-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 12,322 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.