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Nissan Micra exhaust, emissions and leaks problems

DVSA MOT tests 2022–2025 · 64,136 MOT tests · Updated

At 17 years, 4.4 in 100 MOT tests of the Nissan Micra failed on exhaust, emissions and leaks, against 6.5 for all class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 64,136 MOT tests) [1].

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  • Against all class 4 vehicles the same age: fails less often than all class 4 vehicles the same age (0.6–0.7×) (all test years), 2,804 MOT tests with a fail
  • By age: seen at 23 ages from 3 to 25 years, 994,896 MOT tests
  • Most common fail: Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction, 1.6 per 100 MOT tests

Figures are for the model as a whole, not for one car.

What the MOT tests show

What we know

4.4 fails per 100 MOT tests at 17 years, against 6.5 for all class 4 vehicles tested at 17 (all test years). The Nissan Micra fails less often here.

Why it matters

An exhaust, emissions and leaks fail stops the car passing until it is fixed; the most common one is rated major by DVSA.

What to check

Start the car from cold and look for smoke at the exhaust, listen for blowing joints, and look under the engine and gearbox for fresh oil or fluid drips.

Nissan Micra exhaust, emissions and leaks fails by age

Nissan Micra exhaust, emissions and leaks fails per 100 MOT tests by ageSolid line: the Nissan Micra. Dashed line: all cars the same age. The table below lists every value.02463 years: 0.3 per 100 (all cars 0.5), 28,013 MOT tests34 years: 0.6 per 100 (all cars 0.7), 31,796 MOT tests5 years: 0.7 per 100 (all cars 1.0), 37,656 MOT tests56 years: 1.0 per 100 (all cars 1.3), 42,172 MOT tests7 years: 1.1 per 100 (all cars 1.7), 46,532 MOT tests78 years: 1.2 per 100 (all cars 2.1), 50,642 MOT tests9 years: 1.3 per 100 (all cars 2.4), 49,401 MOT tests910 years: 2.2 per 100 (all cars 2.8), 50,142 MOT tests11 years: 2.9 per 100 (all cars 3.2), 50,142 MOT tests1112 years: 3.2 per 100 (all cars 3.7), 52,264 MOT tests13 years: 3.3 per 100 (all cars 4.3), 56,832 MOT tests1314 years: 3.0 per 100 (all cars 5.1), 59,670 MOT tests15 years: 3.0 per 100 (all cars 5.7), 60,062 MOT tests1516 years: 3.7 per 100 (all cars 6.2), 63,020 MOT tests17 years: 4.4 per 100 (all cars 6.5), 64,136 MOT tests1718 years: 5.2 per 100 (all cars 6.8), 60,151 MOT tests19 years: 5.5 per 100 (all cars 7.0), 55,646 MOT tests1920 years: 5.2 per 100 (all cars 7.0), 44,575 MOT tests21 years: 4.8 per 100 (all cars 7.1), 32,463 MOT tests2122 years: 4.1 per 100 (all cars 7.0), 24,289 MOT tests23 years: 3.1 per 100 (all cars 6.9), 17,257 MOT tests2324 years: 3.2 per 100 (all cars 7.0), 10,948 MOT tests25 years: 2.8 per 100 (all cars 7.1), 7,087 MOT tests25
Fails per 100 MOT tests by age, all first-use years pooled. Nissan Micra All class 4 vehicles the same age Shaded: over 18 years, survivors only.
AgeMOT testsFails per 100All class 4 vehicles the same age
328,0130.30.5
431,7960.60.7
537,6560.71.0
642,1721.01.3
746,5321.11.7
850,6421.22.1
949,4011.32.4
1050,1422.22.8
1150,1422.93.2
1252,2643.23.7
1356,8323.34.3
1459,6703.05.1
1560,0623.05.7
1663,0203.76.2
1764,1364.46.5
1860,1515.26.8
19*55,6465.57.0
20*44,5755.27.0
21*32,4634.87.1
22*24,2894.17.0
23*17,2573.16.9
24*10,9483.27.0
25*7,0872.87.1

All first-use years of the Nissan Micra pooled at each age, against all class 4 vehicles at that age over all 2022–2025 test years. * Only survivors are still tested at this age.

What fails in the exhaust, emissions and leaks at 17 years

Fails

Advisories (not fails)

Diagnose engine warning light cost

Repair figures are estimates, not quotes: how we estimate repair costs.

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  • Model risks for this year and fuel
  • What similar cars did at their next MOT
  • Repairs ahead
  • Viewing checklist

See a sample report

By engine and fuel

  • 1.2 petrol: 4.6 per 100 at 17 years, fails less often than petrol class 4 vehicles the same age (0.6× (0.59–0.64×)) (all test years; 48,162 MOT tests)
  • 1.0 petrol: 0.3 per 100 at 3 years, about average for petrol class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 25,214 MOT tests)
  • 0.9 petrol: 0.2 per 100 at 5 years, about average for petrol class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 15,210 MOT tests)
  • 1.4 petrol: 3.2 per 100 at 17 years, fails less often than petrol class 4 vehicles the same age (0.4–0.5×) (all test years; 9,859 MOT tests)

How to check on a test drive

Start the car from cold and look for smoke at the exhaust, listen for blowing joints, and look under the engine and gearbox for fresh oil or fluid drips.

The most common advisory here in MOT records: Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive.

Check one Nissan Micra, not the average

The figures here describe Nissan Micra cars as a group. These free tools answer for one car. Each line says what the tool reads.

Other Nissan Micra problems

Exhaust, emissions and leaks on rival models

Questions people ask

Does the Nissan Micra have more exhaust, emissions and leaks problems than other cars?

0.6 to 0.7 times the exhaust, emissions and leaks fail rate of all class 4 vehicles the same age at 17 years (all test years), from 64,136 MOT tests. The interval is clear of 0.8 in the same direction at 8 of the 23 ages seen (ages up to 18 with at least 100 MOT tests with a fail).

How common are Nissan Micra exhaust, emissions and leaks problems?

4.4 in 100 MOT tests at 17 years failed on exhaust, emissions and leaks, against 6.5 for all class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 64,136 MOT tests).

What is the most common Nissan Micra exhaust, emissions and leaks fail?

1.6 in 100 MOT tests at 17 years: Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction (1,048 MOT tests with it).

Sources

  1. Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2022 to 2025. DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, 994,896 MOT tests. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
  2. Office for National Statistics, Consumer price inflation, local price quotes (car repair items). ONS price quotes, series 610236. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.

Parts: against all class 4 vehicles at the same age, all 2022–2025 test years pooled, not adjusted for mileage. Breakdowns and non-MOT faults are not in this data. How we compare