2003 Nissan Pickup — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2003 Nissan Pickup passed 69.7% of its 1,847 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail 27.7% of the time, so this is 2.6pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (17.2%) and lighting & signalling (16.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are service brake performance, chassis condition and component mounting prescribed areas — service brake performance alone was recorded 246 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 17.4% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 33.3% once past 150k.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 41.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 34.5% in 2021 to 25.9% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 17.2% | 318 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 16.4% | 303 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 15.4% | 285 |
| 4 | Suspension | 14.0% | 259 |
| 5 | Visibility | 7.9% | 146 |
| 6 | Steering | 3.9% | 72 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Service brake performance | 246 |
| 2 | Chassis condition | 148 |
| 3 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 144 |
| 4 | Ball joint | 128 |
| 5 | Rigid brake pipes | 126 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 122 |
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 | 41.9% | 773 |
| 2 | Brakes | 40.4% | 747 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 33.7% | 623 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 22.6% | 418 |
| 5 | Tyres | 20.6% | 381 |
| 6 | Other defects | 12.4% | 230 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 132 | 17.4% |
| 60-90k | 310 | 25.5% |
| 90-120k | 523 | 31.9% |
| 120-150k | 437 | 33.2% |
| 150k+ | 421 | 33.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 568 | 34.5% |
| 2022 | 438 | 28.1% |
| 2023 | 353 | 29.5% |
| 2024 | 283 | 29.3% |
| 2025 | 205 | 25.9% |
What to check before buying a 2003 Pickup
On a 2003 Pickup, brakes is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 17.2% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Brakes (17.2% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (16.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (15.4% 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
How many 2003 Nissan Pickups pass their MOT?
69.7% of the 1,847 2003 Nissan Pickup MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 30.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2003 Nissan Pickup?
Brakes, recorded in 17.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (16.4%).
Does the 2003 Pickup get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 17.4% in the 30-60k band to 33.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,847 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.