2010 Nissan Note — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2010 Nissan Note passed 75.1% of its 94,281 recorded MOT tests. Superminis of a similar age fail at 25.1%, so the 2010 Note sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (16.6%) and lighting & signalling (16.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, pins and bushes and headlamp aim — coil spring alone was recorded 7,082 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 14.6% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 31.1% once past 150k — 2.1× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 4.9pp more often than petrol ones (28.7% vs 23.8%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 29.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 23.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 25.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 16.6% | 15,653 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 16.5% | 15,581 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.9% | 4,612 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.9% | 4,573 |
| 5 | Brakes | 4.8% | 4,509 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.0% | 1,908 |
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 | 7,082 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 6,745 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 6,095 |
| 4 | Stop lamp | 6,052 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 5,776 |
| 6 | Ball joint | 5,316 |
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 | 29.0% | 27,347 |
| 2 | Tyres | 26.8% | 25,249 |
| 3 | Brakes | 18.9% | 17,801 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 9.8% | 9,251 |
| 5 | Other defects | 9.5% | 8,960 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 6.1% | 5,779 |
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 | 2,631 | 14.6% |
| 30-60k | 20,661 | 19.3% |
| 60-90k | 33,546 | 24.2% |
| 90-120k | 23,820 | 28.2% |
| 120-150k | 9,751 | 30.9% |
| 150k+ | 3,855 | 31.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 74,365 | 23.8% |
| Diesel | 19,916 | 28.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 19,566 | 23.9% |
| 2022 | 19,322 | 23.9% |
| 2023 | 19,067 | 25.0% |
| 2024 | 18,590 | 25.7% |
| 2025 | 17,736 | 25.9% |
What to check before buying a 2010 Note
On a 2010 Note, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 16.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (16.6% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (16.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (4.9% 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
How many 2010 Nissan Notes pass their MOT?
75.1% of the 94,281 2010 Nissan Note MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 24.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 Nissan Note?
Suspension, recorded in 16.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (16.5%).
Does the 2010 Note get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 14.6% in the 0-30k band to 31.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 94,281 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.