1988 Nissan Sunny — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1988 Nissan Sunny passed 75.5% of its 318 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail 20.9% of the time, so this is 3.6pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (11.6%) and brakes (10.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, service brake performance and service brake imbalance — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 28 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 22.7% in the 30-60k band and 32.3% in the 90-120k band, a 9.6-point spread.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 33.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 30.7% in 2021 to 20.8% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 11.6% | 37 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.4% | 33 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 10.1% | 32 |
| 4 | Suspension | 8.8% | 28 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.4% | 14 |
| 6 | Steering | 3.1% | 10 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 28 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 21 |
| 3 | Service brake imbalance | 14 |
| 4 | Rigid brake pipes | 14 |
| 5 | Prescribed areas | 12 |
| 6 | Joints | 12 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 33.7% | 107 |
| 2 | Suspension | 32.1% | 102 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 23.3% | 74 |
| 4 | Tyres | 16.4% | 52 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 15.4% | 49 |
| 6 | Other defects | 7.9% | 25 |
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 | 88 | 22.7% |
| 60-90k | 114 | 22.8% |
| 90-120k | 65 | 32.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 75 | 30.7% |
| 2022 | 61 | 19.7% |
| 2023 | 67 | 23.9% |
| 2024 | 62 | 25.8% |
| 2025 | 53 | 20.8% |
What to check before buying a 1988 Sunny
On a 1988 Sunny, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 11.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (11.6% 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.
- Body, structure & corrosion (10.1% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
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 1988 Nissan Sunnys pass their MOT?
75.5% of the 318 1988 Nissan Sunny MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 24.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1988 Nissan Sunny?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.6% of tests, followed by brakes (10.4%).
Does the 1988 Sunny get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 22.7% in the 30-60k band to 32.3% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 318 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.