2011 Nissan Note — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 78,662 MOT tests, the 2011 Nissan Note recorded a 75.9% pass rate. That is effectively the same as superminis of a similar age (23.9% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (16.6%) and lighting & signalling (14.9%) 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 ball joint — coil spring alone was recorded 5,802 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 13.7% in the 0-30k band and 31.5% in the 150k+ band, a 17.8-point spread — more than double.
The petrol cars hold up better: 23.3% fail against 28.3% for diesel, a 5.0-point gap across 78,662 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 29.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 22.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 25.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 16.6% | 13,038 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 14.9% | 11,739 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.9% | 3,822 |
| 4 | Brakes | 4.5% | 3,527 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.5% | 3,502 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.8% | 1,399 |
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 | 5,802 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 5,136 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 4,679 |
| 4 | Stop lamp | 4,630 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 4,570 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 4,393 |
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 | 29.9% | 23,494 |
| 2 | Tyres | 26.7% | 20,966 |
| 3 | Brakes | 18.5% | 14,519 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 9.4% | 7,364 |
| 5 | Other defects | 8.9% | 7,021 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 5.4% | 4,282 |
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 | 3,064 | 13.7% |
| 30-60k | 21,645 | 19.3% |
| 60-90k | 28,953 | 24.6% |
| 90-120k | 16,941 | 28.4% |
| 120-150k | 5,936 | 30.0% |
| 150k+ | 2,103 | 31.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 65,104 | 23.3% |
| Diesel | 13,558 | 28.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 15,944 | 22.6% |
| 2022 | 16,041 | 23.5% |
| 2023 | 15,949 | 24.4% |
| 2024 | 15,538 | 24.7% |
| 2025 | 15,190 | 25.5% |
What to check before buying a 2011 Note
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 16.6% of tests. Start there.
- 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 (14.9% 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 2011 Nissan Notes pass their MOT?
75.9% of the 78,662 2011 Nissan Note MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 24.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 Nissan Note?
Suspension, recorded in 16.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (14.9%).
Does the 2011 Note get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 13.7% in the 0-30k band to 31.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 78,662 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.