Nissan Tiida MOT pass rate & common failures
The Nissan Tiida appears in 3,480 MOT tests spanning model years 1990–2021, and 67.7% of them passed. Against all cars of a similar age (24.8% fail rate), the Tiida comes out 7.5pp worse. Its most common failure areas are suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (20.0%) and lighting & signalling (17.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint, position lamp and pins and bushes — ball joint alone was recorded 353 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 32.9% versus 22.5%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 39.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 30.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 35.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Tiida model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 31 | 71.0% | 29.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 57 | 70.2% | 29.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 1,994 | 68.0% | 32.0% | Suspension |
| 2010 | 1,270 | 66.9% | 33.1% | Suspension |
| 2011 | 95 | 66.3% | 33.7% | Suspension |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 20.0% | 697 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 17.1% | 596 |
| 3 | Brakes | 13.4% | 465 |
| 4 | Visibility | 7.2% | 251 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.0% | 209 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 5.6% | 194 |
| 7 | Tyres | 5.0% | 175 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 3.0% | 104 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball joint | 353 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 310 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 269 |
| 4 | Coil spring | 234 |
| 5 | Exhaust system | 191 |
| 6 | Wipers | 173 |
| 7 | Rigid brake pipes | 166 |
| 8 | Rbt (sp) | 157 |
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 | 39.0% | 1,358 |
| 2 | Suspension | 38.9% | 1,354 |
| 3 | Tyres | 26.8% | 931 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 16.3% | 567 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 11.0% | 382 |
| 6 | Other defects | 10.4% | 361 |
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 | 120 | 22.5% |
| 30-60k | 825 | 28.1% |
| 60-90k | 1,457 | 32.9% |
| 90-120k | 745 | 35.3% |
| 120-150k | 249 | 37.0% |
| 150k+ | 82 | 32.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 807 | 30.9% |
| 2022 | 758 | 30.6% |
| 2023 | 734 | 33.1% |
| 2024 | 633 | 32.5% |
| 2025 | 548 | 35.2% |
What to check before buying a Nissan Tiida
- Suspension (20.0% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (17.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (13.4% 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.
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 Tiida?
67.7% of the 3,480 Nissan Tiida MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 32.3% fail rate, across model years 1990–2021.
What does the Nissan Tiida most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 20.0% of tests, then lighting & signalling (17.1%).
How much does mileage affect Tiida MOT results?
Fail rates run at 22.5% for cars in the 0-30k band and 32.9% for 150k+, a 10.4-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,480 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.