2014 Nissan Pathfinder — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2014 Nissan Pathfinder passed 74.1% of its 2,215 recorded MOT tests. That is 7.6 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 18.3%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (12.6%) and lighting & signalling (11.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, ball joint and tread depth — coil spring alone was recorded 215 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 33.8% versus 12.1%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 21.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 23.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 28.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 12.6% | 278 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 11.9% | 263 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.8% | 128 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.1% | 113 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.6% | 101 |
| 6 | Tyres | 4.2% | 94 |
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 | 215 |
| 2 | Ball joint | 130 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 93 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 78 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 72 |
| 6 | Track rod end | 69 |
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 | 21.7% | 480 |
| 2 | Brakes | 21.2% | 470 |
| 3 | Suspension | 20.1% | 444 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 11.1% | 246 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.9% | 197 |
| 6 | Other defects | 8.3% | 185 |
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 | 33 | 12.1% |
| 30-60k | 324 | 18.5% |
| 60-90k | 799 | 23.9% |
| 90-120k | 730 | 30.1% |
| 120-150k | 252 | 28.6% |
| 150k+ | 77 | 33.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 2,182 | 26.0% |
| Petrol | 33 | 18.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 446 | 23.5% |
| 2022 | 452 | 25.7% |
| 2023 | 441 | 23.6% |
| 2024 | 437 | 28.4% |
| 2025 | 439 | 28.2% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Pathfinder
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 12.6% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (12.6% 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 (11.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (5.8% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
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 Pathfinders pass their MOT?
74.1% of the 2,215 2014 Nissan Pathfinder MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 25.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Nissan Pathfinder?
Suspension, recorded in 12.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (11.9%).
Does the 2014 Pathfinder get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.1% in the 0-30k band to 33.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,215 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.