Nissan Silvia MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 41 model years and 2,678 tests, the Nissan Silvia passes its MOT 88.3% of the time. That is 8.8 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 20.4%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, emissions & environmental and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 9.0% of tests against 4.2% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, headlamp aim and rear fog lamp — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 159 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the Silvia fails 13.1% of the time in the 0-30k band and 14.3% at 150k+, a spread of only 1.2 points.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 12.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 13.4% in 2021 to 9.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Silvia model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 70 | 78.6% | 21.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1986 | 71 | 88.7% | 11.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1987 | 64 | 89.1% | 10.9% | Suspension |
| 1988 | 53 | 81.1% | 18.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1991 | 43 | 93.0% | 7.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1992 | 58 | 86.2% | 13.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1993 | 80 | 86.3% | 13.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1996 | 60 | 85.0% | 15.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1997 | 30 | 86.7% | 13.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 30 | 96.7% | 3.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 244 | 89.3% | 10.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 185 | 88.6% | 11.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 174 | 87.9% | 12.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 163 | 87.1% | 12.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 36 | 91.7% | 8.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 48 | 87.5% | 12.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 56 | 83.9% | 16.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 41 | 100.0% | 0.0% | Other defects |
| 2012 | 35 | 88.6% | 11.4% | Brakes |
| 2013 | 49 | 93.9% | 6.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 72 | 90.3% | 9.7% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2015 | 133 | 91.0% | 9.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 180 | 91.7% | 8.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2017 | 155 | 89.0% | 11.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2018 | 109 | 89.0% | 11.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2019 | 105 | 90.5% | 9.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2020 | 76 | 89.5% | 10.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 34 | 85.3% | 14.7% | Emissions & environmental |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 9.0% | 241 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 4.2% | 113 |
| 3 | Suspension | 3.2% | 86 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.1% | 84 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.0% | 80 |
| 6 | Steering | 2.1% | 55 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.9% | 52 |
| 8 | Tyres | 1.8% | 49 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 159 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 120 |
| 3 | Rear fog lamp | 83 |
| 4 | Washers | 65 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 63 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 42 |
| 7 | Horn | 41 |
| 8 | Shock absorbers | 36 |
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 | 12.3% | 328 |
| 2 | Suspension | 11.6% | 311 |
| 3 | Brakes | 10.9% | 292 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.3% | 222 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 6.0% | 160 |
| 6 | Steering | 5.5% | 147 |
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 | 107 | 13.1% |
| 30-60k | 294 | 13.3% |
| 60-90k | 802 | 9.8% |
| 90-120k | 756 | 11.4% |
| 120-150k | 412 | 12.1% |
| 150k+ | 287 | 14.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 537 | 13.4% |
| 2022 | 534 | 12.0% |
| 2023 | 539 | 12.1% |
| 2024 | 539 | 11.7% |
| 2025 | 529 | 9.1% |
What to check before buying a Nissan Silvia
- Lighting & signalling (9.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (4.2% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Suspension (3.2% 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.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Nissan Silvia?
88.3% of the 2,678 Nissan Silvia MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 11.7% fail rate, across model years 1984–2024.
What does the Nissan Silvia most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 9.0% of tests, then emissions & environmental (4.2%).
How much does mileage affect Silvia MOT results?
Fail rates run at 13.1% for cars in the 0-30k band and 14.3% for 150k+, a 1.2-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,678 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.