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MOT fail rates by first-use year

2008 Nissan Qashqai MOT fail rate and common faults

How Nissan Qashqai cars first used in 2008 did at their MOTs from 2022 to 2025, against all cars of the same age. From 54,264 DVSA MOT tests of these cars. First use is usually the date the car was first registered.

MOT data updated

At 17 years, tested in 2025

MOT fail rate at age 17 (n=11,061)55.8%
All cars at 17 years (n=4,040,458)43.1%
Difference+12.7 pts
MOT tests of 2008 cars, 2022 to 202554,264

What stands out

  • In 2025, at 17 years old, Nissan Qashqai cars first used in 2008 failed 55.8% of MOTs (11,061 tests), 12.7 points above the 43.1% for all cars that age.
  • From 2022 to 2025, as these cars went from 14 to 17 years old, the fail rate moved from 56.1% to 55.8%.
  • Nissan Qashqai cars first used a year earlier, in 2007, failed 55.0% at the same age of 17 years (9,541 tests, in 2024).
  • The most common fail item that is not a wear item, for the Nissan Qashqai at 17 years, is steering track rod end: ball joint play, at 16.2 per 100 MOTs (all cars: 1.9).

MOT fail rate by test year

Nissan Qashqai cars first used in 2008: share of MOT tests that failed, by test year, against all cars of the same age. Years with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.
Test yearAgeMOT fail rateTests (n)All carsDifference
202214 years56.1%15,72540.3%+15.8 pts
202315 years55.7%14,50641.6%+14.1 pts
202416 years55.8%12,97242.6%+13.2 pts
202517 years55.8%11,06143.1%+12.7 pts

Most common faults at 17 years

These figures cover all Nissan Qashqai MOTs at 17 years: cars first used 2007 to 2008, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=20,633). The list uses every first-use year so it has enough tests. Wear items (tyres, brake pads, wipers, bulbs) say more about upkeep than about the design.

MOT fail items

Fail itemPer 100 MOTsAll cars
Steering track rod end: ball joint play16.21.9
Side/position light not working Wear12.95.8
Driveshaft CV boot split10.83.2
Suspension ball joint worn10.02.4
Brake light not working Wear5.94.0
Airbag (SRS) warning light on5.11.2
Suspension arm bush worn5.02.2
Tyre tread below 1.6 mm Wear4.83.0
Brake pads under 1.5 mm Wear4.71.9
Suspension arm: corroded and seriously weakened4.50.3

Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=20,633). A test with two items counts once for each.

Advisories

AdvisoryPer 100 MOTsAll cars
Tyre tread close to the legal limit or worn on the edge Wear20.017.9
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened14.811.3
Brake pads wearing thin Wear14.26.6
Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive12.711.7
Suspension pin or bush worn, without excessive movement12.28.7
Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened12.15.3
Suspension arm: corroded but not seriously weakened11.92.7
Track rod end ball joint: slight play11.02.0
Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Wear10.09.6
Drive shaft joints: constant velocity boot severely deteriorated9.83.9

Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=20,633). A test with two items counts once for each.

Fuel type at 17 years

These figures cover all Nissan Qashqai MOTs at 17 years: cars first used 2007 to 2008, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=20,633). Each fuel is set against all cars of the same fuel and age. Fuels with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.

FuelShare of testsMOT fail rateTests (n)All cars, same fuelMedian mileage
Petrol71.8%54.6%14,81243.2%115,212 miles
Diesel28.2%57.4%5,81843.2%130,098 miles

Fail rate by mileage at 17 years

These figures cover all Nissan Qashqai MOTs at 17 years: cars first used 2007 to 2008, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=20,633). At 17 years, Nissan Qashqai cars at over 150,000 miles failed more often (60.7%, n=3,666) than those at 60,000 to 90,000 miles (50.7%, n=2,827). Bands with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.

Mileage at testMOT fail rateTests (n)All cars
60,000 to 90,000 miles50.7%2,82741.7%
90,000 to 120,000 miles55.8%6,80246.2%
120,000 to 150,000 miles58.0%6,44847.1%
Over 150,000 miles60.7%3,66646.5%

Car tax rules for a 2008 car

  • Cars first registered from 1 March 2001 to 31 March 2017 are taxed by CO2 emissions band, from band A (the lowest emissions) to band M. The band is set by the CO2 figure on the V5C logbook.

These are the rules, not the amount for a specific car. Car tax check

ULEZ and clean air zones

  • Petrol cars first registered from 2006 usually meet Euro 4, the petrol standard for the London ULEZ, so they usually do not pay the daily charge.
  • Diesel cars first registered before September 2015 usually do not meet Euro 6, so a 2008 diesel usually pays the ULEZ daily charge. A few models met Euro 6 early.
  • The clean air zones in Birmingham and Bristol use the same Euro 4 petrol and Euro 6 diesel standards. The low emission zones in Scotland use them too, but enforce them with fines, not a daily charge.

The Euro standard of the car decides, not the year alone. ULEZ checker

Other years of the Nissan Qashqai

Other Nissan models first used in 2008

ModelAge at testMOT fail rateTests (n)All cars
Nissan Note (2008)17 years in 202548.0%13,83543.1%
Nissan Micra (2008)17 years in 202542.0%13,30343.1%
Nissan X-Trail (2008)17 years in 202547.7%2,60643.1%
Nissan Navara (2008)17 years in 202542.7%1,45343.1%

More on the Nissan Qashqai

Read this with care. A fail rate is not a measure of build quality. How far cars are driven, how they are used and how well owners maintain them all change it, and wear items such as tyres and brake pads are common fails. Compare a model only with cars of the same age. Methodology and limits.

Found one you might buy? Vet the specific car.

These figures describe 2008 Nissan Qashqai cars as a group, not any one car. The VetTheCar Buying Report looks at the car you are buying: its MOT history, what similar cars did next, and what to ask the seller.

See an example Buying Report All car tools

Source

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025. MOT data updated 28 September 2026.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources

Car tax and clean air zone rules are summarised from GOV.UK and Transport for London guidance. They are general rules and are not drawn from the MOT data.