2014 Nissan Note — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 127,056 MOT tests, the 2014 Nissan Note recorded an 85.5% pass rate. That is 4.9 percentage points better than superminis of a similar age, which fail at 19.5%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (7.2%) and suspension (6.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, wipers and ball joint — position lamp alone was recorded 4,848 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 7.3% in the 0-30k band and 28.0% in the 150k+ band, a 20.7-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 5.7pp more often than petrol ones (19.1% vs 13.3%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 25.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 11.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 17.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 7.2% | 9,095 |
| 2 | Suspension | 6.3% | 8,038 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.3% | 5,533 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.3% | 4,235 |
| 5 | Brakes | 3.1% | 3,885 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.6% | 3,318 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 4,848 |
| 2 | Wipers | 3,359 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 3,345 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 3,107 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 3,093 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 2,916 |
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 | 25.0% | 31,819 |
| 2 | Suspension | 22.8% | 29,017 |
| 3 | Brakes | 18.3% | 23,204 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.4% | 8,169 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.6% | 4,519 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.7% | 3,477 |
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 | 17,393 | 7.3% |
| 30-60k | 57,508 | 12.3% |
| 60-90k | 37,235 | 17.7% |
| 90-120k | 11,630 | 22.9% |
| 120-150k | 2,550 | 25.9% |
| 150k+ | 728 | 28.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 100,196 | 13.3% |
| Diesel | 26,858 | 19.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 24,699 | 11.2% |
| 2022 | 25,126 | 12.9% |
| 2023 | 25,372 | 14.1% |
| 2024 | 25,817 | 16.5% |
| 2025 | 26,042 | 17.7% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Note
On a 2014 Note, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 7.2% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (7.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (6.3% 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 (4.3% 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 2014 Nissan Notes pass their MOT?
85.5% of the 127,056 2014 Nissan Note MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Nissan Note?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.2% of tests, followed by suspension (6.3%).
Does the 2014 Note get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.3% in the 0-30k band to 28.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 127,056 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.