Nissan Pathfinder MOT pass rate & common failures
The Nissan Pathfinder appears in 43,722 MOT tests spanning model years 1993–2025, and 69.9% of them passed. All cars of a similar age fail 24.9% of the time, so this is 5.2pp worse than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are suspension, lighting & signalling and body, structure & corrosion.
Best and worst Pathfinder years
Ranked across Pathfinder 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
The strongest year on this record is 2014 (74.1% pass rate); the weakest is 2009 (68.2%). Older cars carry more of the difference than the average implies.
No single area dominates — suspension (16.2%) and lighting & signalling (16.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint, position lamp and coil spring — ball joint alone was recorded 4,094 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 14.0% in the 0-30k band and 32.6% in the 150k+ band, a 18.6-point spread — more than double.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 31.2% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Pathfinder model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 4,203 | 70.7% | 29.3% | Suspension |
| 2006 | 7,495 | 68.5% | 31.4% | Suspension |
| 2007 | 8,021 | 68.3% | 31.7% | Suspension |
| 2008 | 3,860 | 68.4% | 31.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 4,958 | 68.2% | 31.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 3,194 | 72.0% | 28.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 4,219 | 72.4% | 27.6% | Suspension |
| 2012 | 2,739 | 70.5% | 29.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 2,697 | 71.3% | 28.7% | Suspension |
| 2014 | 2,215 | 74.1% | 25.9% | Suspension |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 16.2% | 7,078 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 16.1% | 7,037 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 12.4% | 5,436 |
| 4 | Brakes | 8.1% | 3,530 |
| 5 | Visibility | 6.3% | 2,735 |
| 6 | Steering | 5.7% | 2,493 |
| 7 | Tyres | 4.5% | 1,946 |
| 8 | Emissions & environmental | 4.1% | 1,786 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball joint | 4,094 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 2,971 |
| 3 | Coil spring | 2,640 |
| 4 | Track rod end | 2,541 |
| 5 | Chassis condition | 2,165 |
| 6 | Joints | 2,054 |
| 7 | Linkage ball joints | 2,007 |
| 8 | Stop lamp | 1,884 |
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 | 31.2% | 13,659 |
| 2 | Brakes | 26.6% | 11,644 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 23.6% | 10,336 |
| 4 | Tyres | 22.0% | 9,602 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 14.2% | 6,201 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 11.9% | 5,201 |
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 | 178 | 14.0% |
| 30-60k | 1,838 | 19.9% |
| 60-90k | 6,409 | 26.4% |
| 90-120k | 12,848 | 30.1% |
| 120-150k | 12,770 | 31.7% |
| 150k+ | 9,641 | 32.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 43,420 | 30.1% |
| Petrol | 299 | 26.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 11,192 | 30.4% |
| 2022 | 10,098 | 29.8% |
| 2023 | 8,831 | 30.2% |
| 2024 | 7,475 | 30.5% |
| 2025 | 6,126 | 29.6% |
What to check before buying a Nissan Pathfinder
- Suspension (16.2% 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 (16.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (12.4% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
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 Pathfinder?
69.9% of the 43,722 Nissan Pathfinder MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 30.1% fail rate, across model years 1993–2025.
What does the Nissan Pathfinder most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 16.2% of tests, then lighting & signalling (16.1%).
Which Pathfinder years are best and worst for MOT results?
2014 has the best pass rate at 74.1% and 2009 the weakest at 68.2%, from 2,215 and 4,958 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Pathfinder MOT results?
Fail rates run at 14.0% for cars in the 0-30k band and 32.6% for 150k+, a 18.6-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 43,722 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.