2010 Nissan Qashqai — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2010 Nissan Qashqai passed 68.5% of its 217,858 recorded MOT tests. Mid-size SUVs of a similar age fail 25.3% of the time, so this is 6.2pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (17.8%) and lighting & signalling (16.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are track rod end, ball joint and position lamp — track rod end alone was recorded 26,429 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 13.5% in the 0-30k band and 35.4% in the 150k+ band, a 21.9-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 4.8pp more often than petrol ones (33.3% vs 28.5%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 35.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 28.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 33.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 17.8% | 38,718 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 16.5% | 35,912 |
| 3 | Brakes | 10.4% | 22,764 |
| 4 | Steering | 9.9% | 21,616 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 9.0% | 19,517 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.9% | 10,585 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Track rod end | 26,429 |
| 2 | Ball joint | 24,739 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 23,328 |
| 4 | Joints | 19,698 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 11,900 |
| 6 | Linkage ball joints | 10,236 |
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 | 35.4% | 77,096 |
| 2 | Brakes | 30.7% | 66,925 |
| 3 | Tyres | 28.6% | 62,355 |
| 4 | Other defects | 14.2% | 31,048 |
| 5 | Steering | 11.3% | 24,596 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.1% | 24,225 |
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 | 814 | 13.5% |
| 30-60k | 12,278 | 19.2% |
| 60-90k | 53,629 | 28.0% |
| 90-120k | 82,478 | 32.9% |
| 120-150k | 49,380 | 34.7% |
| 150k+ | 19,233 | 35.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 135,687 | 33.3% |
| Petrol | 82,171 | 28.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 45,432 | 28.8% |
| 2022 | 45,827 | 30.8% |
| 2023 | 44,770 | 31.7% |
| 2024 | 42,973 | 33.3% |
| 2025 | 38,856 | 33.0% |
What to check before buying a 2010 Qashqai
On a 2010 Qashqai, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 17.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (17.8% 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 (16.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (10.4% 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 2010 Nissan Qashqais pass their MOT?
68.5% of the 217,858 2010 Nissan Qashqai MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 31.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 Nissan Qashqai?
Suspension, recorded in 17.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (16.5%).
Does the 2010 Qashqai get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 13.5% in the 0-30k band to 35.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 217,858 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.