MOT data
Nissan Pathfinder MOT fail rate by age and year
DVSA MOT tests 2022–2025 · 23,532 MOT tests · Updated
At 16 years, 43.5% of Nissan Pathfinder MOT tests ended in a fail (adjusted to typical mileage), against 43.1% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 16 (3,652 MOT tests) [1].
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- Body and structure: fails 2.4–2.7× as often as cars the same age at 16 years, 710 of 3,652 MOT tests
- Mileage: median 131,117 miles at 16 years against 102,757 for all class 4 vehicles, 3,652 MOT tests
- Before the mileage adjustment: 47.2% of MOT tests at 16 years ended in a fail, 3,652 MOT tests
Which engine and year a car has decides which of these apply. Check the reg first.
Figures are for the model, not one car, and compare with all class 4 vehicles tested at 16 in the same test year.
- Fail rate at 16 years, typical mileage
- 43.5%
- vs 43.1% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 16
- 3,652 MOT tests
- Fail rate at 16 years, raw
- 47.2%
- vs 43.1% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 16
- 3,652 MOT tests
- Median mileage at 16 years
- 131,117 mi
- vs 102,757 mi for all class 4 vehicles
- 3,652 MOT tests
Nissan Pathfinder MOT fail rate by age
Each line follows the cars first used in one year across the ages they were tested at from 2022 to 2025, so a line never mixes a 2005 car with a 2015 one. 24k DVSA MOT tests in all (23,532).
| Age | Raw | Typical mileage | All class 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 42.2% | 38.7% | 31.5% |
| 11 | 42.6% | 40.6% | 33.9% |
| 12 | 44.2% | 40.9% | 36.5% |
| 13 | 45.8% | 42.7% | 38.8% |
| 14 | 46.9% | 42.7% | 40.7% |
| 15 | 48.0% | 44.1% | 42.2% |
| 16 | 47.2% | 43.5% | 43.1% |
| 17 | 45.7% | 41.7% | 43.5% |
| 18 | 46.4% | 42.6% | 43.5% |
| 19* | 43.7% | 39.0% | 43.3% |
* Over 18 years: only survivors are still tested at this age, so these rates describe the cars that are left.
About average: 47.2% raw · 43.5% at typical mileage, against 43.1% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 16, 3,652 MOT tests. Which years? See the full verdict
What fails on a Nissan Pathfinder at 16 years
3 of 11 parts fail clearly more or less often than on cars the same age, with the same direction at 3 or more ages up to 18 years and no mixed picture.
| Part | Per 100 | All class 4 | Compared | Most common fail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body and structure | 19.4 | 7.6 | fails 2.4–2.7× as often as cars the same age | Drive shaft constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (MOT fail) |
| Suspension | 22.2 | 17.1 | fails 1.2–1.4× as often as cars the same age | Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (MOT fail) |
| Steering | 7.5 | 3.4 | fails 2.0–2.5× as often as cars the same age | Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (MOT fail) |
| Lights and electrics | 22.4 | 20.4 | about average for cars the same age | Position lamp not working (MOT fail) |
| Brakes | 11.6 | 11.6 | about average for cars the same age | Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (MOT fail) |
| Visibility | 8.7 | 6.8 | about average for cars the same age | Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (MOT fail) |
Buying a Nissan Pathfinder? Check that exact car before the viewing.
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- Model risks for this year and fuel
- What similar cars did at their next MOT
- Repairs ahead
- Viewing checklist
Check one Nissan Pathfinder, not the average
The figures here describe Nissan Pathfinder cars as a group. A registration shows one car's own DVSA record: its MOT tests, the mileage at each test and the recall flag.
- Check a Nissan Pathfinder's MOT history Every MOT test, fail item, advisory and mileage reading DVSA holds for that registration.
- Mileage check on a Nissan Pathfinder The odometer reading from each MOT, with drops, jumps and long gaps flagged.
- Check a Nissan Pathfinder for an outstanding recall Whether DVSA's MOT record flags an outstanding safety recall for that registration.
More Nissan Pathfinder data
Nissan Pathfinder recalls
7 DVSA recalls list this model by name [2]. Vehicles are DVSA's count of affected Nissan Pathfinder vehicles. The latest:
- R/2013/144 Also covers the Nissan Pathfinder: Seat belts may not perform as expected (310 vehicles of this model), built Aug 2013 to Sep 2013. From the recall's stated risk: “Incorrect installation of the front seat belts has occurred where the position of the left hand side and right hand side seat belts may have been swapped.”
- R/2013/128 Also covers the Nissan Pathfinder: Ball joint may disconnect (471 vehicles of this model), built Aug 2013 to Sep 2013. From the recall's stated risk: “The front lower suspension/steering ball joint retaining ring may not have been manufactured to specification.”
- R/2012/036 Also covers the Nissan Pathfinder: Driver seat fault (29,866 vehicles of this model), built Nov 2004 to Nov 2009. From the recall's stated risk: “The Drivers power seat harness may become trapped between the metal seat bracket and the seat lifter Mechanism.”
Ask the seller for proof the work was done. Check any car on GOV.UK
Nissan Pathfinder against similar cars at 16 years
Same class and fuel, all tested at 16 years, at typical mileage.
| Model | Fail rate | 95% range | MOT tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nissan Pathfinder | 43.5% | 41.3% to 45.7% | 3,652 |
| Land Rover Discovery MOT fail rate | 32.9% | 31.9% to 33.9% | 26,824 |
| Land Rover Range Rover Sport MOT fail rate | 30.5% | 29.7% to 31.4% | 21,433 |
| Land Rover Defender MOT fail rate | 33.6% | 32.8% to 34.4% | 14,742 |
| BMW X5 MOT fail rate | 31.0% | 29.8% to 32.2% | 14,495 |
| Land Rover Range Rover MOT fail rate | 27.2% | 26.2% to 28.2% | 13,454 |
| Mercedes-Benz M-Class MOT fail rate | 30.7% | 29.6% to 31.9% | 9,416 |
| Audi Q7 MOT fail rate | 24.4% | 22.9% to 25.9% | 8,305 |
| Volkswagen Touareg MOT fail rate | 31.3% | 29.6% to 33.0% | 7,080 |
Other Nissan models
More Nissan Pathfinder data
Years
Running costs
By part
- Nissan Pathfinder suspension problems
- Nissan Pathfinder brakes problems
- Nissan Pathfinder lights and electrics problems
- Nissan Pathfinder steering problems
- Nissan Pathfinder body and structure problems
- Nissan Pathfinder exhaust and emissions problems
- Nissan Pathfinder seat belts and airbags problems
- Nissan Pathfinder windscreen and wipers problems
- Nissan Pathfinder tyres problems
Questions people ask
How often does a Nissan Pathfinder fail its MOT at 16 years?
43.5% of MOT tests at 16 years ended in a fail at typical mileage (47.2% as tested), from 3,652 MOT tests, against 43.1% for all class 4 vehicles the same age; the Land Rover Discovery was at 32.9%.
What fails most on a Nissan Pathfinder at 16 years?
19.4 in 100 MOT tests at 16 years failed on body and structure, most often "drive shaft constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt", then suspension (22.2) and steering (7.5), from 3,652 MOT tests.
How does the Nissan Pathfinder compare with the Land Rover Discovery?
At 16 years the Nissan Pathfinder failed 43.5% of MOT tests at typical mileage, the Land Rover Discovery 32.9% and the Land Rover Range Rover Sport 30.5%, from 3,652, 26,824 and 21,433 MOT tests.
What mileage does a Nissan Pathfinder have at 16 years?
A median of 131,117 miles at the MOT test at 16 years, against 102,757 for all class 4 vehicles the same age, from 3,652 MOT tests; 28.0% had over 150,000 miles.
Sources
- Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2022 to 2025. DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, 23,532 MOT tests. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
- Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Vehicle safety recalls data. DVSA recall data. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
Cars tested at 16 years are compared only with vehicles tested at 16 years in the same year, adjusted to typical mileage. Breakdowns and non-MOT faults are not in this data.