2016 Nissan Micra — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2016 Nissan Micra passed 86.5% of its 61,505 recorded MOT tests. Superminis of a similar age fail 15.6% of the time, so this is 2.0pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (5.7%) and lighting & signalling (5.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are service brake performance, wipers and pins and bushes — service brake performance alone was recorded 2,933 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 10.3% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 17.9% once past 150k.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 27.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 10.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 16.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 5.7% | 3,482 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.5% | 3,385 |
| 3 | Suspension | 4.8% | 2,953 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.7% | 2,866 |
| 5 | Tyres | 3.3% | 2,054 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.7% | 412 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Service brake performance | 2,933 |
| 2 | Wipers | 2,911 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 2,465 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 1,248 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 1,138 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 822 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 27.5% | 16,927 |
| 2 | Tyres | 22.2% | 13,660 |
| 3 | Brakes | 17.9% | 11,002 |
| 4 | Other defects | 4.8% | 2,972 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.7% | 2,258 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.5% | 2,157 |
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 | 32,331 | 10.3% |
| 30-60k | 22,977 | 15.9% |
| 60-90k | 5,038 | 20.9% |
| 90-120k | 947 | 23.3% |
| 120-150k | 169 | 30.2% |
| 150k+ | 39 | 17.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 11,942 | 10.0% |
| 2022 | 12,104 | 11.4% |
| 2023 | 12,359 | 13.4% |
| 2024 | 12,437 | 15.8% |
| 2025 | 12,663 | 16.7% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Micra
On a 2016 Micra, brakes is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Brakes (5.7% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Lighting & signalling (5.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (4.8% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
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 2016 Nissan Micras pass their MOT?
86.5% of the 61,505 2016 Nissan Micra MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Nissan Micra?
Brakes, recorded in 5.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (5.5%).
Does the 2016 Micra get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.3% in the 0-30k band to 17.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 61,505 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.