Nissan Skyline MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 44 model years and 11,470 tests, the Nissan Skyline passes its MOT 88.9% of the time. That is 11.8 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 22.9%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, emissions & environmental and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 7.8% of all tests — 3.1 points clear of emissions & environmental, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, headlamp aim and rear fog lamp — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 730 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.6% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 18.3% once past 150k — 2.8× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 14.8% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Skyline model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 128 | 89.8% | 10.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1991 | 132 | 90.9% | 9.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1992 | 202 | 90.1% | 9.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1993 | 234 | 86.8% | 13.3% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1994 | 230 | 87.8% | 12.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1995 | 344 | 91.9% | 8.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1996 | 347 | 88.8% | 11.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1997 | 276 | 90.6% | 9.4% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1998 | 579 | 91.2% | 8.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 663 | 90.0% | 10.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 461 | 92.4% | 7.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 233 | 88.8% | 11.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 167 | 85.0% | 15.0% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2003 | 568 | 84.5% | 15.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 591 | 88.2% | 11.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 927 | 88.6% | 11.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 698 | 87.8% | 12.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 628 | 87.7% | 12.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 605 | 85.8% | 14.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 301 | 87.7% | 12.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 169 | 91.1% | 8.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 79 | 86.1% | 13.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 92 | 93.5% | 6.5% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2013 | 81 | 88.9% | 11.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 295 | 88.8% | 11.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 742 | 90.7% | 9.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 572 | 89.3% | 10.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2017 | 362 | 90.3% | 9.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2018 | 236 | 87.7% | 12.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2019 | 226 | 88.9% | 11.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2020 | 126 | 88.1% | 11.9% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2021 | 96 | 90.6% | 9.4% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 7.8% | 893 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 4.7% | 533 |
| 3 | Suspension | 3.2% | 372 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.5% | 291 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.3% | 267 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.8% | 210 |
| 7 | Tyres | 1.7% | 196 |
| 8 | Steering | 1.6% | 178 |
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 | 730 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 436 |
| 3 | Rear fog lamp | 320 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 275 |
| 5 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 246 |
| 6 | Washers | 200 |
| 7 | Position lamp | 183 |
| 8 | Track rod end | 147 |
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 | 14.8% | 1,699 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.2% | 1,394 |
| 3 | Tyres | 11.1% | 1,272 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.9% | 910 |
| 5 | Steering | 6.1% | 701 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 5.2% | 593 |
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 | 620 | 6.6% |
| 30-60k | 1,794 | 9.2% |
| 60-90k | 3,718 | 10.1% |
| 90-120k | 2,817 | 11.1% |
| 120-150k | 1,552 | 13.5% |
| 150k+ | 930 | 18.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,498 | 11.9% |
| 2022 | 2,387 | 12.6% |
| 2023 | 2,201 | 10.3% |
| 2024 | 2,213 | 10.0% |
| 2025 | 2,171 | 10.6% |
What to check before buying a Nissan Skyline
- Lighting & signalling (7.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (4.7% 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 Skyline?
88.9% of the 11,470 Nissan Skyline MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 11.1% fail rate, across model years 1981–2024.
What does the Nissan Skyline most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.8% of tests, then emissions & environmental (4.7%).
How much does mileage affect Skyline MOT results?
Fail rates run at 6.6% for cars in the 0-30k band and 18.3% for 150k+, a 11.7-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 11,470 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.