Nissan Primastar MOT pass rate & common failures

At a glance

Recorded pass rate

6.6 points below the fleet average of 65.7%. The examples tested do not cover a wide enough spread of ages and mileages to compare fairly against the rest of the fleet, so no rank is claimed; the failure record below stands on its own.

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

Share of failed Nissan Primastar tests in which each item was recorded. One failed test often lists several, so these do not sum to 100%.

1. 1.A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play26.9%

   127 occurrences

2. 2.Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement17.4%

   82 occurrences

3. 3.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning14.2%

   67 occurrences

4. 4.A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps14.0%

   66 occurrences

5. 5.a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm12.9%

   61 occurrences

6. 6.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn11.9%

   56 occurrences

7. 7.Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded9.7%

   46 occurrences

8. 8.A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage9.5%

   45 occurrences

9. 9.A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc8.1%

   38 occurrences

10. 10.Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value7.6%

    36 occurrences

11. 11.Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction7.6%

    36 occurrences

12. 12.Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning7.4%

    35 occurrences

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all Nissan Primastar tests carrying each advisory.

1. 1.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements19.5%

   265 tests

2. 2.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured14.6%

   199 tests

3. 3.Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded14.5%

   197 tests

4. 4.a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm13.4%

   183 tests

5. 5.A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage6.5%

   89 tests

6. 6.A tyre seriously damaged6.1%

   83 tests

7. 7.Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users5.6%

   76 tests

8. 8.Play in steering rack inner joint(s)5.4%

   73 tests

How wear changes the picture

Primastar pass rate by age and registration year

What gets tested

The Primastar fleet

Average mileage recorded at test

92,391

Test classes

class 7: 1,361

Compare within the range

Other Nissan vans

• Nissan Cabstar51.2%
• Nissan NV40062.9%
• Nissan Interstar64.6% raw
• Nissan Navara72.8%
• Nissan NV30067.7% raw
• All Nissan vans

Common questions

What is the MOT pass rate for a Nissan Primastar?

59.1% unadjusted, from 1,361 DVSA tests. The average across all vans is 65.7%.

What does a Nissan Primastar fail its MOT on?

"A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play" is recorded in 26.9% of failed Nissan Primastar tests, followed by "Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement" (17.4%). One failed test often lists several items.

What mileage does a Nissan Primastar usually have at its MOT?

92,391 miles on average across every age tested, so a description of the fleet rather than an annual figure. Van mileages run far higher than cars, and a working van at five years old can have covered what a car covers in fifteen.