Nissan Navara Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Nissan Navara 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 161,652 MOT tests across 21 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: large car | Fuel: Diesel
81%
Nissan Navara pass rate
81%
Nissan average
82%
All-model average
The Nissan Navara has an average MOT pass rate of 81%, which is equal to the Nissan average and 1 point below the average across all models in our data. Newer Nissan Navaras pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 10 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Nissan Navara Fails Its MOT On
Of the 22,766 MOT tests on the Nissan Navara 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
41%Cars and vans the same age: 29% (the Navara fails on this more often) · Typical repair £150-£600
Lights and electrics
39%Cars and vans the same age: 35% · Typical repair £15-£200
Brakes
24%Cars and vans the same age: 21% · Typical repair £80-£450
Body, chassis and structure
19%Cars and vans the same age: 9.8% (the Navara fails on this more often) · Typical repair £200-£1200
Exhaust, emissions and leaks
17%Cars and vans the same age: 10% (the Navara fails on this more often) · Typical repair £80-£800
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Coil spring: fractured or broken (19% of failed tests, suspension)
- Engine warning lamp (diesel) on or not working (11% of failed tests, exhaust, emissions and leaks)
- Position lamp: not working (11% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
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 Navara 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 Navara 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 Navara 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Diesel | 2.3L | 90% | 9% | 93% (-3) |
| 2020 | Diesel | 2.3L | 88% | 12% | 92% (-4) |
| 2019 | Diesel | 2.3L | 87% | 13% | 91% (-4) |
| 2018 | Diesel | 2.3L | 83% | 16% | 89% (-6) |
| 2017 | Diesel | 2.2L | 81% | 18% | 87% (-6) |
| 2016 | Diesel | 2.5L | 84% | 15% | 86% (-2) |
| 2015 | Diesel | 2.5L | 78% | 21% | 84% (-6) |
| 2014 | Diesel | 2.5L | 76% | 23% | 82% (-6) |
| 2013 | Diesel | 2.5L | 76% | 23% | 80% (-4) |
| 2012 | Diesel | 2.5L | 73% | 26% | 79% (-6) |
| 2011 | Diesel | 2.5L | 74% | 25% | 77% (-3) |
| 2010 | Diesel | 2.5L | 73% | 25% | 75% (-2) |
| 2009 | Diesel | 2.5L | 72% | 26% | 75% (-3) |
| 2008 | Diesel | 2.5L | 74% | 24% | 74% (0) |
| 2007 | Diesel | 2.5L | 73% | 26% | 73% (0) |
| 2006 | Diesel | 2.5L | 71% | 26% | 73% (-2) |
| 2005 | Diesel | 2.5L | 71% | 28% | 73% (-2) |
| 2004 | Diesel | 2.5L | 71% | 28% | 72% (-1) |
| 2003 | Diesel | 2.5L | 70% | 28% | - |
| 2002 | Diesel | 2.5L | 72% | 23% | - |
| 2001 | Diesel | 2.5L | 67% | 26% | - |
Nissan Navara Running Costs
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Nissan Navara FAQ
What are the most common Nissan Navara problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Nissan Navara that failed at the first attempt most often failed on suspension (41% of the 22,766 failed tests), lights and electrics (39%) and brakes (24%). The single most common fault was "Coil spring: fractured or broken" (19%). Across 161,652 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 81% ended in a pass.
Is the Nissan Navara reliable?
The Nissan Navara has an average MOT pass rate of 81%, from 161,652 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 4 points less often on average, so check the history of any example carefully.
Which Nissan Navara years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2017 (81% of 19,728 tests passed, against 87% for all 2017 cars), the 2018 (83% of 17,622 tests passed, against 89% for all 2018 cars) and the 2015 (78% of 7,977 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 Navara faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Nissan Navara typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
Check a Specific Nissan Navara
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Other Nissan Models
Common problems pages for other Nissan models