2015 Nissan Qashqai — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2015 Nissan Qashqai passed 82.8% of its 335,640 recorded MOT tests. Against mid-size SUVs of a similar age (15.9% fail rate), the 2015 Qashqai comes out 1.3pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (7.6%) and tyres (4.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, ball joint and tread depth — brake pads alone was recorded 15,032 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 9.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 27.6% once past 150k — 3.1× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 14.8% fail against 18.7% for diesel, a 3.9-point gap across 335,640 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 27.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 12.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 22.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 7.6% | 25,637 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.9% | 16,364 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.8% | 16,021 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.7% | 12,513 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 3.1% | 10,383 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.8% | 5,972 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 15,032 |
| 2 | Ball joint | 10,521 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 10,373 |
| 4 | Coil spring | 9,913 |
| 5 | Washers | 7,506 |
| 6 | Wipers | 7,187 |
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 | 27.6% | 92,530 |
| 2 | Brakes | 24.8% | 83,195 |
| 3 | Suspension | 16.4% | 54,914 |
| 4 | Other defects | 11.0% | 36,828 |
| 5 | Steering | 4.3% | 14,578 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 3.4% | 11,387 |
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 | 17,550 | 9.0% |
| 30-60k | 128,079 | 13.5% |
| 60-90k | 126,482 | 18.6% |
| 90-120k | 48,329 | 23.0% |
| 120-150k | 11,920 | 26.1% |
| 150k+ | 3,240 | 27.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 206,900 | 18.7% |
| Petrol | 128,740 | 14.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 64,047 | 12.3% |
| 2022 | 65,308 | 14.2% |
| 2023 | 67,149 | 17.0% |
| 2024 | 69,048 | 19.9% |
| 2025 | 70,088 | 22.0% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Qashqai
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 7.6% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (7.6% 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.
- Tyres (4.9% 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.
- Brakes (4.8% 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 2015 Nissan Qashqais pass their MOT?
82.8% of the 335,640 2015 Nissan Qashqai MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Nissan Qashqai?
Suspension, recorded in 7.6% of tests, followed by tyres (4.9%).
Does the 2015 Qashqai get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.0% in the 0-30k band to 27.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 335,640 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.