2022 Nissan Leaf — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2022 Nissan Leaf passed 93.9% of its 9,845 recorded MOT tests. Against small family cars of a similar age (7.9% fail rate), the 2022 Leaf comes out 1.8pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.4%) and visibility (2.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, tread depth and washers — wipers alone was recorded 163 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 5.3% in the 0-30k band and 12.2% in the 90-120k band, a 6.9-point spread — more than double.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 17.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 2.2% of tests failed in 2023 against 6.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.4% | 436 |
| 2 | Visibility | 2.1% | 211 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.3% | 129 |
| 4 | Brakes | 0.5% | 47 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.3% | 28 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.2% | 22 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 163 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 97 |
| 3 | Washers | 84 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 79 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 24 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 23 |
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 | 17.0% | 1,671 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.9% | 583 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.5% | 542 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.2% | 311 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.6% | 156 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 1.1% | 111 |
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 | 7,674 | 5.3% |
| 30-60k | 1,922 | 8.9% |
| 60-90k | 195 | 8.7% |
| 90-120k | 41 | 12.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 137 | 2.2% |
| 2024 | 432 | 3.5% |
| 2025 | 9,265 | 6.3% |
What to check before buying a 2022 Leaf
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 4.4% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (4.4% 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.
- Visibility (2.1% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Lighting & signalling (1.3% 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
How many 2022 Nissan Leafs pass their MOT?
93.9% of the 9,845 2022 Nissan Leaf MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 6.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2022 Nissan Leaf?
Tyres, recorded in 4.4% of tests, followed by visibility (2.1%).
Does the 2022 Leaf get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.3% in the 0-30k band to 12.2% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 9,845 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.