2017 Nissan Navara — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 54,959 MOT tests, the 2017 Nissan Navara recorded an 80.9% pass rate. Pick-up trucks of a similar age fail 15.9% of the time, so this is 3.2pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
Suspension dominates the failure mix at 10.0% of all tests — 3.1 points clear of lighting & signalling, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, malfunction indicator lamp and tread depth — coil spring alone was recorded 5,697 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 12.9% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 22.6% once past 150k.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 17.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 15.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 10.0% | 5,494 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 6.9% | 3,768 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 6.0% | 3,286 |
| 4 | Brakes | 4.4% | 2,395 |
| 5 | Tyres | 3.1% | 1,707 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.6% | 1,433 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 5,697 |
| 2 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 3,219 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 1,770 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 1,498 |
| 5 | Wipers | 1,321 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 1,042 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 17.5% | 9,626 |
| 2 | Tyres | 17.3% | 9,532 |
| 3 | Suspension | 12.2% | 6,683 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 7.0% | 3,855 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 6.0% | 3,313 |
| 6 | Other defects | 4.7% | 2,583 |
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 | 5,020 | 12.9% |
| 30-60k | 19,427 | 17.7% |
| 60-90k | 16,707 | 20.4% |
| 90-120k | 8,721 | 21.3% |
| 120-150k | 3,423 | 22.3% |
| 150k+ | 1,653 | 22.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 10,959 | 15.1% |
| 2022 | 10,963 | 17.5% |
| 2023 | 11,180 | 20.4% |
| 2024 | 11,053 | 21.0% |
| 2025 | 10,804 | 21.4% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Navara
On a 2017 Navara, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 10.0% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (10.0% 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 (6.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (6.0% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
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 2017 Nissan Navaras pass their MOT?
80.9% of the 54,959 2017 Nissan Navara MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Nissan Navara?
Suspension, recorded in 10.0% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (6.9%).
Does the 2017 Navara get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.9% in the 0-30k band to 22.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 54,959 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.