Known faults, from the test record
Nissan Leaf common problems
What fails on the Nissan Leaf at MOT, which parts are behind it, and how each model year compares. From 53,059 DVSA test records.
Data updated
Quick answer
The Nissan Leaf's most common MOT problems are tyres, suspension bushes, wiper blades and washers, recorded in 47.9%, 45.2% and 16.6% of failed tests respectively. By model year, 2022 cars pass most often (91.0%) and 2013 cars least (57.5%), though most of that gap is age. Every figure here is what testers recorded, not what owners reported.
A “common problems” list is usually a forum thread: whoever had the worst day writes the longest post. This one is built the other way, from every Nissan Leaf that took an MOT last year and what the tester wrote down. It cannot see breakdowns, electrical gremlins or a gearbox that hunts, because the test does not check those. What it can see, it sees across 53,059 cars.
By component
What wears out on a Leaf
Failure items grouped by the part behind them, with the share of failed Nissan Leaf tests recording each. A part can carry several DVSA wordings; they are listed beneath. One failed test often lists several items, so shares do not sum to 100%.
1.Tyres
47.9% of failed testsTread wears with every mile and sidewalls age and take kerb damage; the legal minimum is 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters.
- “Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements” — explained15.4%
- “A tyre seriously damaged” — explained14.5%
- “A tyre cords visible or damaged” — explained9.3%
- “A tyre seriously damaged” — explained4.0%
Across all cars, tyres failures run at a similar rate at every age, because they are replaced on a cycle rather than wearing out with the car. How long tyres last
2.Suspension bushes
45.2% of failed testsRubber bushes in arms and links perish and split with age and load; the most recorded suspension item on the test.
- “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained28.1%
- “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained7.6%
- “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained5.6%
- “A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc” — explained1.6%
Across all cars, suspension bushes failures climb 20-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long suspension bushes last
3.Wiper blades and washers
16.6% of failed testsRubber blades harden and split within a year or two; washer jets block and pumps fail.
- “Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen” — explained12.0%
- “Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen” — explained2.7%
- “Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen” — explained1.9%
Across all cars, wiper blades and washers failures run at a similar rate at every age, because they are replaced on a cycle rather than wearing out with the car. How long wiper blades and washers last
4.Parking brake
12.3% of failed testsCables stretch and seize, rear shoes and adjusters wear; efficiency is measured on the roller tester against the vehicle's weight.
5.Bulbs and lamps
9.3% of failed testsFilament bulbs simply expire; the cheapest and most avoidable failure on the test, and one of the most recorded.
- “A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning” — explained4.6%
- “An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning” — explained1.9%
- “A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED” — explained1.5%
- “A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps” — explained1.2%
Across all cars, bulbs and lamps failures climb 15-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long bulbs and lamps last
6.Brake discs
6.3% of failed testsDiscs thin with each pad set and pit or corrode when lightly used; failure is for significant wear, fracture or insecurity, advisory for surface condition.
- “Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn” — explained3.7%
- “Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution.” — explained1.5%
- “Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured” — explained1.1%
Across all cars, brake discs failures climb 3-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 12–14 years. How long brake discs last
7.Brake pads and shoes
6.1% of failed testsFriction material wears with use; the MOT limit is 1.5 mm and a pad that thin is close to metal on metal.
- “a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm” — explained6.1%
Across all cars, brake pads and shoes failures run at a similar rate at every age, because they are replaced on a cycle rather than wearing out with the car. How long brake pads and shoes last
8.Coil springs
4.7% of failed testsSprings fatigue and corrode where the coating chips, then snap, often at the bottom coil; potholes and salt accelerate it.
- “A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened” — explained4.7%
Across all cars, coil springs failures climb 20-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 12–14 years. How long coil springs last
By registration year
Leaf problems by year
MOT pass rate for Nissan Leaf cars by the year they were first registered, from years with at least 1,000 tests. Every car in a row is the same age, so the rate is raw. Neighbouring years differ by a year of wear — a step of a point or two is age. The step at 2017, up 9.8 points, is larger than wear explains and most likely marks a change in the cars themselves.
Last column: change on the previous year, in points. Years registered within the last three years have not yet been tested and are not shown.
Before it fails
What testers warn Leaf owners about
Advisories are the same parts a year or two earlier. Share of all Nissan Leaf tests carrying an advisory for each.
- Tyres45.6% of tests
- Brake discs19.0% of tests
- Suspension bushes14.2% of tests
- Brake pads and shoes6.5% of tests
- Brake pipes2.4% of tests
Go deeper
The rest of the Leaf file
Common questions
- What are the most common problems with a Nissan Leaf?
- Going by what fails the MOT, tyres (recorded in 47.9% of failed tests), suspension bushes (recorded in 45.2% of failed tests), and wiper blades and washers (recorded in 16.6% of failed tests). These are the items testers actually record across 53,059 tests, not reports from owners, so they describe what goes wrong at the point where it has to be fixed.
- Which Nissan Leaf year is the most reliable?
- By MOT pass rate, Nissan Leaf cars registered in 2022 do best at 91.0% and 2013 cars do worst at 57.5%. Most of that ordering is simply age — newer cars pass more — so read the year table for steps larger than a couple of points between neighbouring years; those mark a change in the cars rather than the calendar. The largest such step is at 2017, up 9.8 points on 2016.
- Is the Nissan Leaf reliable?
- Adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, the Nissan Leaf passes 72.0% of MOTs against a national 72.3%. An MOT measures roadworthiness on the day rather than breakdowns or running costs, so this is a reliability measure in the narrow sense: how often the car meets the legal standard, and what stops it.
- What should I check when buying a used Nissan Leaf?
- Start with what fails most: tyres, suspension bushes, wiper blades and washers. Then read the car's own MOT history for advisories carried year to year without repair — the model tells you what to expect, the history tells you whether this owner dealt with it.
Analysis built from DVSA data of