Nissan Leaf Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Nissan Leaf fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 77,120 MOT tests across 13 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: electric | Fuel: Electric
87%
Nissan Leaf pass rate
81%
Nissan average
82%
All-model average
The Nissan Leaf has an average MOT pass rate of 87%, which is 6 points above the Nissan average and 5 points above the average across all models in our data. Newer Nissan Leafs pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 13 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Nissan Leaf Fails Its MOT On
Of the 10,051 MOT tests on the Nissan Leaf that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Suspension
37%Cars and vans the same age: 23% (the Leaf fails on this more often) · Typical repair £150-£600
Tyres
33%Cars and vans the same age: 29% · Typical repair £50-£300
Brakes
20%Cars and vans the same age: 19% · Typical repair £80-£450
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
19%Cars and vans the same age: 17% · Typical repair £10-£350
Lights and electrics
18%Cars and vans the same age: 29% (the Leaf fails on this less often) · Typical repair £15-£200
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (22% of failed tests, suspension)
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively (11% of failed tests, windscreen, wipers and mirrors)
- Tyre tread depth below the 1.6mm limit (11% of failed tests, tyres)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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Nissan Leaf Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each Leaf year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
Passed more often than cars their age
No year passed 3 or more points more often than other cars of the same age.
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
Nissan Leaf Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
| Year | Fuel | Engine | Pass Rate | Fail Rate | All Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Electric | 0.0L | 92% | 2% | - |
| 2022 | Electric | 0.0L | 94% | 3% | - |
| 2021 | Electric | 0.0L | 94% | 6% | 93% (+1) |
| 2020 | Electric | 0.0L | 92% | 8% | 92% (0) |
| 2019 | Electric | 0.0L | 90% | 9% | 91% (-1) |
| 2018 | Electric | 0.0L | 89% | 11% | 89% (0) |
| 2017 | Electric | 0.0L | 85% | 15% | 87% (-2) |
| 2016 | Electric | 0.0L | 80% | 19% | 86% (-6) |
| 2015 | Electric | 0.0L | 78% | 22% | 84% (-6) |
| 2014 | Electric | 0.0L | 74% | 25% | 82% (-8) |
| 2013 | Electric | 0.0L | 72% | 28% | 80% (-8) |
| 2012 | Electric | 0.0L | 74% | 24% | - |
| 2011 | Electric | 0.0L | 77% | 22% | - |
Nissan Leaf Running Costs
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Nissan Leaf FAQ
What are the most common Nissan Leaf problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Nissan Leaf that failed at the first attempt most often failed on suspension (37% of the 10,051 failed tests), tyres (33%) and brakes (20%). The single most common fault was "Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn" (22%). Across 77,120 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 87% ended in a pass.
Is the Nissan Leaf reliable?
The Nissan Leaf has an average MOT pass rate of 87%, from 77,120 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed within 2 points of other cars of the same age, so about average for its age.
Which Nissan Leaf years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2014 (74% of 5,546 tests passed, against 82% for all 2014 cars), the 2013 (72% of 2,284 tests passed, against 80% for all 2013 cars) and the 2015 (78% of 7,227 tests passed, against 84% for all 2015 cars) failed their MOT most often for their age. A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common Nissan Leaf faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Nissan Leaf typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
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Other Nissan Models
Common problems pages for other Nissan models