Model Reports 4 min read Updated 18 Oct 2026

Nissan Navara 2010: reliability & common MOT faults

In 2025, 55 in every 100 first MOTs on a 2010 Nissan Navara were passes. Most common reason for a fail: Individual sidelight or tail light (front).

Summary

The 2010 Nissan Navara follows the pattern of the model years either side.

At a glance

How 1,546 first tests went in 2025.

Passed first time
55 in every 100
Did not pass first time
45 in every 100699 failed first-attempt tests
The typical car
15 yearsabout 131,587 miles
First tests counted
1,546

What failed most often

  1. Individual sidelight or tail light (front)14 in every 100 failed tests
  2. Drive shaft joints and boots (front)14 in every 100 failed tests
  3. Windscreen washers12 in every 100 failed tests

How we count this. Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Only Class 4 cars on their first MOT of the year are counted. A car that fails and is fixed at the test station still counts as a fail in the first-attempt rate. These are raw results, not adjusted for age, mileage, or peer mix. The MOT does not test engine or gearbox internals.

Note:

These are patterns across 2010 Nissan Navara vehicles in 2025, not a prediction that any one car will have them. Faults are grouped by part of the car. They come from MOT defect codes, not manufacturer bulletins, recalls or a diagnosis of any one car.

Suspension

Three faults. The strongest is the suspension spring mounting area (rear): 21 times as often as on similar cars.

Figures below are measured across the 691 of 699 failed first attempts (98.9%) that recorded an odometer reading in 2025. Mileage is needed to compare like with like.

We only list faults with at least 20 failures and a rate of about 2.0 times that of similar cars, which keeps one-off results out of the list.

Suspension spring mounting area (rear)

Failed on 22 first tests21 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

What it means

Testers check the strength and continuity of the load bearing structure within a set distance of a spring, sub-frame or suspension mounting, an area DVSA calls a prescribed area. Strength that is significantly reduced, or an area inadequately repaired, is Major. Structure so weakened that control of the vehicle is likely to be adversely affected is graded Dangerous.

Leaf spring (rear)

Failed on 22 first tests12 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

What it means

Modified spring anchor or shackle brackets with more mounting holes than the chassis are not a reason to reject leaf spring suspension, and neither is a missing bump stop rubber. A fractured main leaf is graded Dangerous. A spring that is fractured or seriously weakened is graded Major.

Suspension mounting area (rear)

Failed on 67 first tests4.9 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

The load bearing structure within a set distance of a sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting is a prescribed area. Major applies when its strength or continuity is significantly reduced or it is inadequately repaired. Dangerous applies when it is so weakened that control of the vehicle is likely to be adversely affected.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage.

Body and structure

Two faults. The strongest is the chassis condition (rear): 20 times as often as on similar cars.

Chassis condition (rear)

Failed on 83 first tests20 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

A main load-bearing structural member that is fractured, deformed, modified or inadequately repaired is Major when structural rigidity is significantly reduced, and Dangerous where steering or braking is likely to be adversely affected. Corrosion of the body, cab or chassis at a mounting point is Dangerous where overall security or stability is impaired.

Also noted as an advisory

Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 34 first tests, 6.4 times as often as on similar cars.

Fuel tank

Failed on 20 first tests18 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

What it means

A fuel tank, pipe or hose that is insecure is Major, and graded Dangerous when so insecure there is a risk of fire. The check covers all permanently attached fuel tanks, including gas tanks and cylinders, and hydrogen tanks on fuel cell vehicles count as fuel tanks. A missing heat shield fails a vehicle only where there is a risk of fire with other fuel system components.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage. Advisories count notes recorded on failed first tests only.

Seat belts and restraints

One fault: airbag warning light, 4.7 times as often as on similar cars.

Airbag warning light

Failed on 61 first tests4.7 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

The airbag warning lamp (SRS MIL in DVSA's wording) is failed only if it indicates a system malfunction, which is Major. A lamp lit to show the passenger airbag is disabled is not to be regarded as a defect. Dashboard messages are not a defect in their own right, though they can help the tester confirm a malfunction.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage.

Lamps and electrical

Three faults. The strongest is the individual direction indicators (front): 4.6 times as often as on similar cars.

Individual direction indicators (front)

Failed on 34 first tests4.6 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

Direction indicators must be amber, though vehicles first used before a set date may have white at the front and red at the rear when the indicators are combined with stop or position lamps, and sequential or dynamic ones are not a reason to fail. A lamp that is missing, inoperative or has more than half of a multiple light source not functioning is graded Major. A flashing rate outside the permitted range is graded Minor.

Horn

Failed on 34 first tests3.8 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

A horn that does not work, or is likely to be confused with an emergency vehicle siren, is graded Major. Gongs, bells, sirens and anything with more than one tone, which includes a horn that alternates between its notes, are not allowed, except a gong, bell or siren on vehicles first used before a set date. Sound defects are Minor for named cases such as a bell or harsh sound, and Major under a general row.

Side repeater indicators

Failed on 43 first tests3.5 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

Sequential or dynamic direction indicators are not a reason to fail. Where a side repeater is required, it is allowed to be part of the front direction indicator if it has a marked wraparound lens, or an amber light coming through the front lens when viewed from a set distance to the side of the rear bumper. A lens defect with no effect on the emitted light is Minor, and one that adversely affects the light is Major.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage.

Brakes

One fault: electronic stability control, 3.4 times as often as on similar cars.

Electronic stability control

Failed on 25 first tests3.4 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

What it means

An ESC warning lamp is failed only when the tester is certain it indicates an ESC malfunction, because the lamp takes various forms and the owner's handbook may need checking. The system is also called ESP, VDC or DSC, among many other names. Every failure row is Major, covering the lamp, wheel speed sensors, wiring, other components and the switch.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage.

Advisories

Other things testers noted as worn or close to failing, more often than on similar cars.

An advisory is a note from the tester about something that has not failed yet. It is an early warning, not a fail. Advisories for the faults above are shown with those faults.

Wheel bearings (rear)

Noted on 31 first tests7.6 times as often as similar carsElevated evidence

Wheel bearings (front)

Noted on 25 first tests3.1 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

Exhaust system (rear)

Noted on 68 first tests3.0 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

Suspension arm ball joint (front)

Noted on 56 first tests2.9 times as often as similar carsElevated evidence

Track rod end (front)

Noted on 34 first tests2.8 times as often as similar carsElevated evidence

Rigid brake pipes (front)

Noted on 43 first tests2.3 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

Exhaust system (front)

Noted on 24 first tests2.1 times as often as similar carsElevated evidence

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Counts cover advisories recorded on failed first tests only, compared with cars of the same age and mileage.

MOT pass rates

How first tests ended, and how the pass rates are counted.

Passed first time
55in every 100
Passed on the first test.
Fixed at the station
7in every 100
Failed, then fixed at the test station the same day.
Failed
38in every 100
Did not pass, and were not fixed at the test station.

First-attempt pass 54.8% of 1,546 first tests (2025): only cars that passed first time count. Official-style pass 61.8%: cars fixed at the test station also count as a pass. The 7 fixed and the 38 not fixed make the 45 in every 100 that did not pass first time.

Same model, other years

Passed first time in every 100, all tested in 2025.

4060801002005201020152020Older carsNewer cars
40608010020102020Older carsNewer cars

Newer cars are younger, so look for a jump rather than the climb. A year earlier (2024), when these cars were a year younger, 54 in every 100 passed first time.

YearPassed first timeFirst tests
200457 in every 100577
200553 in every 100899
200654 in every 1001,374
200755 in every 1001,638
200855 in every 1001,317
200953 in every 1001,387
2010 This car55 in every 1001,546
201155 in every 1003,290
201252 in every 1002,874
201357 in every 1003,072
201458 in every 1003,171
201560 in every 1003,600
201670 in every 1007,275
201768 in every 1008,322
201870 in every 1007,400
201974 in every 1006,878
202078 in every 1003,960
202182 in every 1006,561

FAQs

Short answers about how to read this model-year guide.

The 2010 Nissan Navara follows the pattern of the model years either side. Its main cause of failure was Individual sidelight or tail light (front), about 14 in every 100 failed tests. In 2025, 54.8% of 1,546 first MOTs on the 2010 Nissan Navara passed first time (PRS: items fixed at the station the same day, counted as a fail). The official-style rate including PRS is 61.8%. Among 699 failed first-attempt MOT tests (test year 2025), Suspension spring mounting area (rear) appears more often than on similar cars (3.2% of those tests; 22 observed failures; about 21× more often than similar cars). There is no single reliability score here; this is a pre-purchase checklist built from DVSA open data, not a guarantee for any individual car.
Ranked by how often they were actually recorded, the items that most often failed a 2010 Nissan Navara at the first attempt were Individual sidelight or tail light (front) (14.5%), Drive shaft joints and boots (front) (14.0%) and Windscreen washers (12.3%), each as a share of the year's failed first attempts. That is what goes wrong most often on the car. The common faults table shows a different measure: faults that are unusual compared with similar cars.
Among failed first-attempt tests we highlight patterns that appear more often than on similar cars. Top example: Suspension spring mounting area (rear) (3.2% of those tests; 22 observed failures; about 21× more often than similar cars). These are statistical signals, not a diagnosis of any individual car.
Suspension spring mounting area (rear) shows up more often than on similar cars (3.2% of those tests; 22 observed failures; about 21× more often than similar cars). That does not prove a design fault. Age, mileage, and how the car was used still matter. Treat it as a pre-purchase checkpoint, not a manufacturer service bulletin.
Common MOT problem areas for the 2010 Nissan Navara include Suspension spring mounting area (rear), Chassis condition (rear), Fuel tank. These are the faults that stand out compared with similar cars, not a complete list of what can go wrong on any individual car.
Advisories flag issues noted at the test and are not a fail rate. We show advisory patterns that appear more often than on similar cars among failed first-attempt tests, separate from common failure rows. Use them as early-warning checks, not as a pass/fail score.
This page highlights MOT failure patterns for the 2010 Nissan Navara (registration year) using UK DVSA open data for the selected test year. Patterns are compared with cars of a similar age and mileage. It is a buyer checklist from MOT defect statistics, not a full service history or manufacturer service-bulletin list.
No. MOT tests do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronic modules. Patterns here come from MOT defect statistics only and should not be read as engine or gearbox reliability scores.

About this data

How this page is built and what it can (and can't) say.

These figures come from UK MOT open data for this model year. We surface common failure patterns against similar cars, not a full reliability score, and not a pass/fail verdict on any individual vehicle.

2024 2025

What we include

UK Class 4 cars only. Normal MOT tests (not retests); first test per vehicle per calendar year; results pass, PRS, or fail.

Same-day repairs

PRS means the car failed items that were fixed at the test station and then passed the same day. We count PRS as a first-attempt fail in headline rates so same-day repairs do not hide problems.

How we compare

We compare this model year with other Class 4 cars of similar age and mileage in the same test year. This model family is left out of the peer group so the car is not measured against itself.

What this does not cover

  • MOTs do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronics; this is not a full reliability score.
  • Common faults come from MOT defect stats, not manufacturer TSBs or recalls.
  • Age and mileage matching reduces, but does not remove, differences in how cars were used and maintained.
  • If the data for a car is too thin to say anything useful, we say so rather than guess.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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