Nissan Micra common problems

By component

What wears out on a Micra

Failure items grouped by the part behind them, with the share of failed Nissan Micra 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. 1.Suspension bushes

   42.6% of failed tests

   Rubber 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” — explained19.5%
   • “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained10.2%
   • “A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc” — explained5.6%
   • “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained4.9%

   Across all cars, suspension bushes failures climb 20-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long suspension bushes last

2. 2.Bulbs and lamps

   39.3% of failed tests

   Filament 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” — explained12.9%
   • “A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps” — explained9.7%
   • “Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements” — explained6.1%
   • “Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning” — explained4.1%

   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

3. 3.Tyres

   22.6% of failed tests

   Tread 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” — explained9.8%
   • “A tyre seriously damaged” — explained4.8%
   • “A tyre seriously damaged” — explained4.2%
   • “A tyre cords visible or damaged” — explained3.7%

   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

4. 4.Wiper blades and washers

   19.0% of failed tests

   Rubber blades harden and split within a year or two; washer jets block and pumps fail.

   • “Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen” — explained12.1%
   • “Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen” — explained4.0%
   • “Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen” — explained2.9%

   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

5. 5.Headlamp aim

   17.2% of failed tests

   Aim drifts with sagging suspension, a knocked lamp or a botched bulb change; adjustment, not a part.

   • “The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements” — explained12.4%
   • “The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements” — explained3.2%
   • “The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements” — explained1.6%

6. 6.Coil springs

   15.0% of failed tests

   Springs 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” — explained15.0%

   Across all cars, coil springs failures climb 20-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 12–14 years. How long coil springs last

7. 7.Brake callipers

   8.3% of failed tests

   Pistons and slider pins seize with corrosion and disuse, dragging a brake on or leaving one side weak; shows as imbalance on the roller tester.

   • “Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake” — explained6.2%
   • “Brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle.” — explained2.1%

8. 8.Driveshaft gaiters

   6.3% of failed tests

   The rubber boot over each CV joint splits with age and flexing, then throws grease and lets grit destroy the joint.

   • “A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc” — explained6.3%

   Across all cars, driveshaft gaiters failures climb 21-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long driveshaft gaiters last

By registration year

Micra problems by year

MOT pass rate for Nissan Micra 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 2019, up 8.7 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 Micra owners about

Advisories are the same parts a year or two earlier. Share of all Nissan Micra tests carrying an advisory for each.

• Tyres44.6% of tests
• Suspension bushes28.0% of tests
• Coil springs17.0% of tests
• Brake discs12.9% of tests
• Bulbs and lamps9.3% of tests

Go deeper

The rest of the Micra file

• Nissan Micra: pass rate, ranking and the full failure record
• Is a Micra's mileage high for its age?
• Every Nissan model compared
• Check a specific car's MOT history

Common questions

What are the most common problems with a Nissan Micra?

Going by what fails the MOT, suspension bushes (recorded in 42.6% of failed tests), bulbs and lamps (recorded in 39.3% of failed tests), and tyres (recorded in 22.6% of failed tests). These are the items testers actually record across 237,356 tests, not reports from owners, so they describe what goes wrong at the point where it has to be fixed.

Which Nissan Micra year is the most reliable?

By MOT pass rate, Nissan Micra cars registered in 2022 do best at 91.0% and 2005 cars do worst at 50.4%. 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 2019, up 8.7 points on 2018.

Is the Nissan Micra reliable?

Adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, the Nissan Micra passes 63.8% 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 Micra?

Start with what fails most: suspension bushes, bulbs and lamps, tyres. 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.