2018 Nissan Navara — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 48,446 MOT tests, the 2018 Nissan Navara recorded an 83.2% pass rate. Against pick-up trucks of a similar age (14.3% fail rate), the 2018 Navara comes out 2.6pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (7.1%) and lighting & signalling (5.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, malfunction indicator lamp and brake pads — coil spring alone was recorded 3,472 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 22.1% versus 10.9%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 17.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 12.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 20.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 7.1% | 3,444 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.9% | 2,854 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.2% | 2,523 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 3.8% | 1,861 |
| 5 | Tyres | 3.3% | 1,577 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.4% | 1,146 |
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 | 3,472 |
| 2 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 1,801 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 1,602 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 1,522 |
| 5 | Wipers | 1,170 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 1,126 |
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 | 17.6% | 8,507 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.6% | 8,019 |
| 3 | Suspension | 7.7% | 3,743 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 5.8% | 2,791 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 5.2% | 2,513 |
| 6 | Other defects | 5.0% | 2,416 |
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 | 7,403 | 10.9% |
| 30-60k | 18,506 | 16.0% |
| 60-90k | 12,986 | 18.4% |
| 90-120k | 6,099 | 20.5% |
| 120-150k | 2,448 | 22.1% |
| 150k+ | 1,000 | 22.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 9,722 | 12.4% |
| 2022 | 9,733 | 14.9% |
| 2023 | 9,833 | 17.6% |
| 2024 | 9,663 | 18.7% |
| 2025 | 9,495 | 20.8% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Navara
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 7.1% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (7.1% 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 (5.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (5.2% 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
How many 2018 Nissan Navaras pass their MOT?
83.2% of the 48,446 2018 Nissan Navara MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Nissan Navara?
Suspension, recorded in 7.1% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (5.9%).
Does the 2018 Navara get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.9% in the 0-30k band to 22.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 48,446 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.