Nissan Nv250 MOT pass rate & common failures
The Nissan Nv250 appears in 6,469 MOT tests spanning model years 2019–2022, and 81.9% of them passed. All cars of a similar age fail 9.0% of the time, so this is 9.1pp worse than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 15.7% of all tests — 9.1 points clear of tyres, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are stop lamp, brake pads and wipers — stop lamp alone was recorded 643 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 13.5% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 28.3% once past 150k — 2.1× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 24.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 20.7% in 2022 to 18.0% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Nv250 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 590 | 82.5% | 17.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2020 | 2,307 | 81.3% | 18.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 3,569 | 82.2% | 17.8% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 15.7% | 1,018 |
| 2 | Tyres | 6.7% | 430 |
| 3 | Visibility | 5.8% | 372 |
| 4 | Brakes | 4.8% | 310 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 2.7% | 174 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.9% | 56 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.8% | 50 |
| 8 | Steering | 0.5% | 34 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stop lamp | 643 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 313 |
| 3 | Wipers | 303 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 296 |
| 5 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 278 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 234 |
| 7 | Headlamp aim | 188 |
| 8 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 168 |
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 | 24.7% | 1,600 |
| 2 | Brakes | 21.3% | 1,376 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 9.6% | 623 |
| 4 | Visibility | 9.2% | 597 |
| 5 | Other defects | 4.8% | 310 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.6% | 102 |
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 | 1,448 | 13.5% |
| 30-60k | 2,986 | 18.1% |
| 60-90k | 1,473 | 21.1% |
| 90-120k | 430 | 22.3% |
| 120-150k | 86 | 18.6% |
| 150k+ | 46 | 28.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 145 | 20.7% |
| 2023 | 944 | 18.5% |
| 2024 | 2,706 | 18.0% |
| 2025 | 2,671 | 18.0% |
What to check before buying a Nissan Nv250
- Lighting & signalling (15.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (6.7% 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.
- Visibility (5.8% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
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 Nv250?
81.9% of the 6,469 Nissan Nv250 MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 18.1% fail rate, across model years 2019–2022.
What does the Nissan Nv250 most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 15.7% of tests, then tyres (6.7%).
How much does mileage affect Nv250 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 13.5% for cars in the 0-30k band and 28.3% for 150k+, a 14.8-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,469 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.