2015 Nissan Serena — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2015 Nissan Serena passed 85.4% of its 522 recorded MOT tests. MPVs of a similar age fail 18.0% of the time, so this is 3.4pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.5% of tests against 3.8% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are rear fog lamp, pins and bushes and headlamp — rear fog lamp alone was recorded 22 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 30-60k one: 17.1% versus 7.7%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 15.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 15.7% in 2021 to 10.4% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.5% | 55 |
| 2 | Tyres | 3.8% | 20 |
| 3 | Brakes | 3.6% | 19 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.6% | 19 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.5% | 18 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.7% | 14 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rear fog lamp | 22 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 18 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 15 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 15 |
| 5 | Catalyst emissions | 15 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 14 |
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 | 15.9% | 83 |
| 2 | Brakes | 14.2% | 74 |
| 3 | Suspension | 13.4% | 70 |
| 4 | Other defects | 8.2% | 43 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.6% | 24 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 4.2% | 22 |
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 | 117 | 7.7% |
| 60-90k | 170 | 9.4% |
| 90-120k | 78 | 21.8% |
| 120-150k | 73 | 27.4% |
| 150k+ | 82 | 17.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 258 | 10.1% |
| Petrol | 250 | 18.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 70 | 15.7% |
| 2022 | 77 | 19.5% |
| 2023 | 92 | 16.3% |
| 2024 | 110 | 15.4% |
| 2025 | 173 | 10.4% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Serena
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 10.5% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (10.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (3.8% 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 (3.6% 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 Serenas pass their MOT?
85.4% of the 522 2015 Nissan Serena MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Nissan Serena?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.5% of tests, followed by tyres (3.8%).
Does the 2015 Serena get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.7% in the 30-60k band to 17.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 522 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.