Nissan Primastar MOT pass rate: 56.8% (7,674 tests, 2025)

The Nissan Primastar passed 56.8% of its 7,674 MOT tests in 2025 — 20.7 points below the UK average of 77.5%. The median tested example was 17 years old with 143,641 miles on the clock.

56.8%Pass rate (2025)

7,674MOT tests analysed

143,641 miMedian mileage at test

17 yrsMedian age at test

How the Primastar compares

Nissan Primastar

56.8%

UK average (all Class 4 vehicles)

77.5% across 33.1 million tests

Nissan average (all models)

73.3%

What fails most on the Nissan Primastar

Across failed and rectified tests in 2025, these vehicle systems produced the most defects on the Primastar:

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Suspension	3,388	24.6%
2	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	3,275	23.8%
3	Brakes	3,155	22.9%
4	Steering	1,102	8.0%
5	Body, chassis, structure	956	7.0%
6	Visibility	837	6.1%

Pre-MOT checklist for Primastar owners

Based on the failure profile above, ten minutes with a torch before your test removes the most likely fail items:

Bounce each corner and listen for clonks over speed bumps — suspension is this model’s (and the UK’s) top failure system
Walk round with all lights on: one blown bulb is the most avoidable fail there is
Feel for a spongy pedal or pulling to one side; check pad wear through the wheel spokes if visible
With the engine running, turn lock to lock: knocks or stiff spots are testable defects
Look underneath for corrosion around sills and subframes, especially on older cars

Check the engine before the tester does

A stored fault code with the engine light on is an automatic Major defect. Scan and clear resolved faults before booking.

Topdon OBD2 scannersTopdon diagnostic scanners with full-system readouts
XTOOL diagnostic toolsXTOOL code readers for petrol and diesel cars
Autel UK testersAutel professional-grade diagnostic testers

Primastar pass rate by registration year

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2004	2,173	55.7%	-8.7 pts	153,657
2005	2,866	54.5%	-10.0 pts	145,254
2006	3,128	57.4%	-7.0 pts	150,072
2007	3,850	56.1%	-9.1 pts	145,748
2008	2,609	56.1%	-9.1 pts	141,978
2009	2,213	55.8%	-10.6 pts	137,976
2011	2,703	53.6%	-15.6 pts	133,359

Check a specific Primastar before you buy

Pass rates describe the model; they can’t tell you about the one car you’re looking at. Run its plate through our free MOT history check to see its personal record of failures, advisories and mileage readings.

Other Nissan models

Qashqai71.4% pass rate · 537,795 tests Juke70.8% pass rate · 269,741 tests Micra71.5% pass rate · 234,974 tests Note71.9% pass rate · 146,455 tests X-Trail72.9% pass rate · 86,582 tests Navara72.4% pass rate · 68,836 tests Leaf82.6% pass rate · 49,067 tests NV20064.8% pass rate · 24,653 tests

FAQs

What is the MOT pass rate for a Nissan Primastar?

In 2025, 56.8% of 7,674 first MOT tests on the Nissan Primastar were passes (UK average: 77.5%). Data: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

What does the Primastar fail its MOT on most?

The biggest defect group is suspension (24.6% of its recorded defects), followed by lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment.

Is the Nissan Primastar reliable?

MOT pass rate is one lens on durability: at 56.8% it performs below the national average at a median age of 17 years and 143,641 miles. Always check the individual car's history too.

Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 extract (Class 4 initial tests only; retests excluded). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures rounded to one decimal place.