1989 Nissan Sunny — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 326 MOT tests, the 1989 Nissan Sunny recorded a 77.6% pass rate. Against all cars of a similar age (21.3% fail rate), the 1989 Sunny comes out 1.0pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, brakes and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (10.4%) and brakes (9.5%) 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, rigid brake pipes and service brake performance — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 37 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1989 Sunny fails 23.8% of the time in the 30-60k band and 24.0% at 90-120k, a spread of only 0.3 points.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 34.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 29.9% in 2021 to 19.3% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 10.4% | 34 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.5% | 31 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 9.2% | 30 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.9% | 29 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.5% | 18 |
| 6 | Tyres | 3.7% | 12 |
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 | 37 |
| 2 | Rigid brake pipes | 18 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 18 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 17 |
| 5 | Service brake imbalance | 14 |
| 6 | Wipers | 13 |
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 | 34.7% | 113 |
| 2 | Suspension | 30.7% | 100 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 24.9% | 81 |
| 4 | Tyres | 21.2% | 69 |
| 5 | Other defects | 12.3% | 40 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 11.0% | 36 |
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 | 80 | 23.8% |
| 60-90k | 139 | 22.3% |
| 90-120k | 50 | 24.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 77 | 29.9% |
| 2022 | 77 | 26.0% |
| 2023 | 67 | 19.4% |
| 2024 | 48 | 12.5% |
| 2025 | 57 | 19.3% |
What to check before buying a 1989 Sunny
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 10.4% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (10.4% 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.
- Brakes (9.5% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (9.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 1989 Nissan Sunnys pass their MOT?
77.6% of the 326 1989 Nissan Sunny MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 22.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1989 Nissan Sunny?
Suspension, recorded in 10.4% of tests, followed by brakes (9.5%).
Does the 1989 Sunny get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 23.8% in the 30-60k band to 24.0% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 326 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.