Nissan Note MOT pass rate & common failures
972,739 MOT tests on the Nissan Note (1990–2025) give it a 79.0% pass rate. Superminis of a similar age fail 23.0% of the time, so this is 1.9pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and tyres.
Best and worst Note years
Ranked across Note years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
Not every year is equal — 90.5% of 2017 examples pass against 71.6% of 2006 ones.
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (14.1%) and suspension (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, position lamp and pins and bushes — headlamp aim alone was recorded 61,133 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 31.9% once past 150k — 4.0× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 20.6% fail against 23.6% for diesel, a 3.0-point gap across 972,582 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 27.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 19.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 22.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Note model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 63 | 79.4% | 20.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 63,582 | 71.6% | 28.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 83,726 | 72.7% | 27.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 103,883 | 73.9% | 26.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 99,771 | 74.8% | 25.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 94,281 | 75.1% | 24.9% | Suspension |
| 2011 | 78,662 | 75.9% | 24.1% | Suspension |
| 2012 | 75,433 | 76.7% | 23.3% | Suspension |
| 2013 | 73,265 | 79.7% | 20.3% | Suspension |
| 2014 | 127,056 | 85.5% | 14.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 84,435 | 88.4% | 11.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 59,380 | 90.4% | 9.6% | Tyres |
| 2017 | 28,865 | 90.5% | 9.5% | Visibility |
| 2018 | 155 | 87.1% | 12.9% | Suspension |
| 2019 | 79 | 84.8% | 15.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 69 | 88.4% | 11.6% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 14.1% | 136,879 |
| 2 | Suspension | 12.6% | 122,192 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.6% | 44,432 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.5% | 43,805 |
| 5 | Brakes | 4.2% | 40,482 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.1% | 20,425 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.9% | 18,607 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.2% | 11,597 |
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 | 61,133 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 52,586 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 49,614 |
| 4 | Coil spring | 47,235 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 44,259 |
| 6 | Ball joint | 42,687 |
| 7 | Wipers | 36,319 |
| 8 | Headlamp | 31,194 |
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 | 27.4% | 266,088 |
| 2 | Tyres | 25.9% | 252,371 |
| 3 | Brakes | 18.6% | 180,675 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 9.8% | 95,342 |
| 5 | Other defects | 8.5% | 82,985 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 5.8% | 56,287 |
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 | 92,290 | 8.1% |
| 30-60k | 286,969 | 15.2% |
| 60-90k | 292,269 | 22.7% |
| 90-120k | 191,324 | 27.9% |
| 120-150k | 79,243 | 30.4% |
| 150k+ | 30,378 | 31.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 832,369 | 20.6% |
| Diesel | 140,213 | 23.6% |
| Hybrid | 146 | 4.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 201,753 | 19.8% |
| 2022 | 198,792 | 20.2% |
| 2023 | 196,259 | 21.1% |
| 2024 | 191,283 | 22.0% |
| 2025 | 184,652 | 22.3% |
What to check before buying a Nissan Note
- Lighting & signalling (14.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (12.6% 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.
- Tyres (4.6% 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.
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 Note?
79.0% of the 972,739 Nissan Note MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 21.1% fail rate, across model years 1990–2025.
What does the Nissan Note most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.1% of tests, then suspension (12.6%).
Which Note years are best and worst for MOT results?
2017 has the best pass rate at 90.5% and 2006 the weakest at 71.6%, from 28,865 and 63,582 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Note MOT results?
Fail rates run at 8.1% for cars in the 0-30k band and 31.9% for 150k+, a 23.9-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Note more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 20.6% of the time against 23.6% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 972,739 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.