Nissan Pathfinder Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Nissan Pathfinder 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 12,160 MOT tests across 10 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: large car | Fuel: Diesel
71%
Nissan Pathfinder pass rate
81%
Nissan average
82%
All-model average
The Nissan Pathfinder has an average MOT pass rate of 71%, which is 10 points below the Nissan average and 11 points below the average across all models in our data. Newer Nissan Pathfinders pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 4 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Nissan Pathfinder Fails Its MOT On
Of the 2,095 MOT tests on the Nissan Pathfinder 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.
Lights and electrics
46%Cars and vans the same age: 46% · Typical repair £15-£200
Suspension
46%Cars and vans the same age: 40% · Typical repair £150-£600
Body, chassis and structure
37%Cars and vans the same age: 16% (the Pathfinder fails on this more often) · Typical repair £200-£1200
Brakes
23%Cars and vans the same age: 25% · Typical repair £80-£450
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
17%Cars and vans the same age: 15% · Typical repair £10-£350
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Position lamp: not working (15% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play (13% of failed tests, steering)
- Coil spring: fractured or broken (12% of failed tests, suspension)
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 Pathfinder 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 Pathfinder 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 Pathfinder 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.
Nissan Pathfinder Running Costs
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Nissan Pathfinder FAQ
What are the most common Nissan Pathfinder problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Nissan Pathfinder that failed at the first attempt most often failed on lights and electrics (46% of the 2,095 failed tests), suspension (46%) and body, chassis and structure (37%). The single most common fault was "Position lamp: not working" (15%). Across 12,160 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 71% ended in a pass.
Is the Nissan Pathfinder reliable?
The Nissan Pathfinder has an average MOT pass rate of 71%, from 12,160 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 Pathfinder years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2007 (67% of 2,094 tests passed, against 73% for all 2007 cars), the 2009 (69% of 1,424 tests passed, against 75% for all 2009 cars) and the 2006 (68% of 1,912 tests passed, against 73% for all 2006 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 Pathfinder faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Nissan Pathfinder 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 Pathfinder
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Other Nissan Models
Common problems pages for other Nissan models