Nissan Murano MOT pass rate & common failures
The Nissan Murano appears in 6,986 MOT tests spanning model years 2004–2021, and 73.5% of them passed. Against large SUVs of a similar age (23.1% fail rate), the Murano comes out 3.4pp worse. Its most common failure areas are suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (13.2%) and lighting & signalling (12.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, ball joint and track rod end — headlamp aim alone was recorded 471 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 29.4% versus 13.2%.
The diesel cars hold up better: 20.5% fail against 27.0% for petrol, a 6.6-point gap across 6,978 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 35.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 27.5% in 2021 to 24.0% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Murano model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 1,580 | 70.9% | 29.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 1,494 | 70.6% | 29.4% | Suspension |
| 2007 | 997 | 69.5% | 30.5% | Suspension |
| 2008 | 932 | 73.8% | 26.2% | Suspension |
| 2009 | 1,150 | 78.8% | 21.2% | Suspension |
| 2010 | 603 | 81.1% | 18.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 98 | 79.6% | 20.4% | Steering |
| 2012 | 30 | 90.0% | 10.0% | Suspension |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 13.2% | 920 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 12.6% | 883 |
| 3 | Brakes | 7.9% | 554 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.8% | 545 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.9% | 410 |
| 6 | Steering | 5.2% | 363 |
| 7 | Visibility | 4.2% | 295 |
| 8 | Tyres | 3.9% | 271 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 471 |
| 2 | Ball joint | 422 |
| 3 | Track rod end | 335 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 328 |
| 5 | Exhaust system | 320 |
| 6 | Linkage ball joints | 288 |
| 7 | Brake pads | 276 |
| 8 | Headlamp | 230 |
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 | 35.9% | 2,507 |
| 2 | Tyres | 27.4% | 1,914 |
| 3 | Brakes | 24.7% | 1,726 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 19.7% | 1,377 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 17.8% | 1,241 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 13.1% | 916 |
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 | 68 | 13.2% |
| 30-60k | 511 | 21.1% |
| 60-90k | 1,840 | 26.3% |
| 90-120k | 2,822 | 27.4% |
| 120-150k | 1,375 | 26.8% |
| 150k+ | 364 | 29.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 6,416 | 27.0% |
| Diesel | 562 | 20.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,907 | 27.5% |
| 2022 | 1,640 | 27.2% |
| 2023 | 1,417 | 26.7% |
| 2024 | 1,129 | 25.5% |
| 2025 | 893 | 24.0% |
What to check before buying a Nissan Murano
- Suspension (13.2% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (12.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.9% 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.
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 Murano?
73.5% of the 6,986 Nissan Murano MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 26.5% fail rate, across model years 2004–2021.
What does the Nissan Murano most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 13.2% of tests, then lighting & signalling (12.6%).
How much does mileage affect Murano MOT results?
Fail rates run at 13.2% for cars in the 0-30k band and 29.4% for 150k+, a 16.2-point difference.
Is the diesel or petrol Murano more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the diesel fails 20.5% of the time against 27.0% for the petrol. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,986 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.