Model Reports 4 min read Updated 18 Oct 2026

Nissan Navara 2014: reliability & common MOT faults

In 2025, 58 in every 100 first MOTs on a 2014 Nissan Navara were passes. Most common reason for a fail: Individual sidelight or tail light (front).

Summary

The 2014 Nissan Navara follows the pattern of the model years either side.

At a glance

How 3,171 first tests went in 2025.

Passed first time
58 in every 100
Did not pass first time
42 in every 1001,338 failed first-attempt tests
The typical car
11 yearsabout 106,472 miles
First tests counted
3,171

What failed most often

  1. Individual sidelight or tail light (front)15 in every 100 failed tests
  2. Track rod end (front)15 in every 100 failed tests
  3. Diesel engine warning light13 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 2014 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.

Body and structure

Two faults. The strongest is the chassis condition (rear): 123 times as often as on similar cars.

Figures below are measured across the 1,336 of 1,338 failed first attempts (99.9%) 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.

Chassis condition (rear)

Failed on 99 first tests123 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 53 first tests, 25 times as often as on similar cars.

Propeller shaft joints (front)

Failed on 48 first tests28 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

A transmission joint, belt or chain that is excessively worn is Major, and one so worn it is likely to fail is graded Dangerous. A constant velocity joint boot that is severely deteriorated is Minor. A boot that is missing, or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt, is Major.

Also noted as an advisory

Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 39 first tests, 287 times as often as on similar cars.

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

Suspension

Two faults. The strongest is the suspension mounting area (rear): 29 times as often as on similar cars.

Suspension mounting area (rear)

Failed on 85 first tests29 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.

Also noted as an advisory

Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 26 first tests, 6.5 times as often as on similar cars.

Wheel bearings (front)

Failed on 56 first tests3.9 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

Excessive play in a wheel bearing, or a bearing that is excessively rough, is Major. Play so excessive that the bearing is likely to break up or directional control is impaired is Dangerous, and so is a bearing so rough that it is likely to overheat or break up.

Also noted as an advisory

Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 39 first tests, 3.6 times as often as on similar cars.

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

Brakes

Two faults. The strongest is the brake imbalance across an axle (roller test, efficiency check, rear): 5.3 times as often as on similar cars.

Brake imbalance across an axle (roller test, efficiency check, rear)

Failed on 45 first tests5.3 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

A wheel giving less than a set share of the maximum effort from the other wheel on the same axle is Major. On a steered axle, less than half is graded Dangerous. Testers disregard an imbalance if the lower effort is the result of a locked wheel, or if the higher effort from a wheel is at or below a low set figure.

Rigid brake pipes (front)

Failed on 36 first tests4.1 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

Chafing, corrosion or damage to a rigid brake pipe justifies rejection once its wall thickness is reduced by a set amount, although DVSA accepts this is not easy to determine. If a tester is not sure, the benefit of the doubt applies. A leaking pipe or connection is graded Dangerous on a hydraulic system and Major on an air system.

Also noted as an advisory

Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 82 first tests, 2.9 times as often as on similar cars.

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

Lamps and electrical

Two faults. The strongest is the horn: 4.5 times as often as on similar cars.

Horn

Failed on 90 first tests4.5 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.

Rear fog light

Failed on 54 first tests3.6 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

A missing obligatory rear fog lamp, one that is not working, or one that does not emit a steady red light is graded Major. A rear fog lamp adversely affected by the operation of any other lamp is Major too. The manual allows it to go out when main beam is switched on or when dipped beam headlamps are switched off.

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

Seat belts and restraints

One fault: airbag warning light, 4.4 times as often as on similar cars.

Airbag warning light

Failed on 81 first tests4.4 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.

Noise, emissions and leaks

One fault: diesel engine warning light, 4.3 times as often as on similar cars.

Diesel engine warning light

Failed on 178 first tests4.3 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

An engine malfunction indicator lamp that is illuminated to show a malfunction is graded Major on a diesel, but only on the diesels the test covers, which depends on the vehicle type and when it was first used. DVSA lists it under exhaust emissions for compression ignition engines, and the detail line for the row also names an inoperative lamp.

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.

Suspension spring mounting area (rear)

Noted on 21 first tests23 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

Other suspension component ball joint (front)

Noted on 21 first tests17 times as often as similar carsElevated evidence

Wheel bearings (rear)

Noted on 55 first tests12 times as often as similar carsElevated evidence

Suspension arm ball joint (front)

Noted on 136 first tests4.5 times as often as similar carsElevated evidence

Anti-roll bar linkage ball joints (front)

Noted on 79 first tests4.1 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
58in every 100
Passed on the first test.
Fixed at the station
8in every 100
Failed, then fixed at the test station the same day.
Failed
34in every 100
Did not pass, and were not fixed at the test station.

First-attempt pass 57.8% of 3,171 first tests (2025): only cars that passed first time count. Official-style pass 65.8%: cars fixed at the test station also count as a pass. The 8 fixed and the 34 not fixed make the 42 in every 100 that did not pass first time.

Same model, other years

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

4060801002005201020142020Older carsNewer cars
406080100201020142020Older 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, 61 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
201055 in every 1001,546
201155 in every 1003,290
201252 in every 1002,874
201357 in every 1003,072
2014 This car58 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

If you are buying one

What this year's MOT record means for the decision in front of you.

Mileage matters most on a 2014 Navara.

Of 2014 Navara vehicles with under 78,000 miles, 68 in every 100 passed their 2025 MOT first time. With 142,000 miles or more, 53 in every 100 did.

Under 78,000642 tests
68
78,000–97,000616 tests
59
97,000–117,000 Typical car653 tests
56
117,000–142,000624 tests
54
142,000 and over632 tests
53

What to check at your mileage

How often each fault turned up on a failed first test, by the car's mileage. Read it as: what is likely to need looking at on a car like the one in front of you.

Under 78,00097,000–117,000142,000 and over
Individual sidelight or tail light (front)0.87.510.8
Track rod end (front)4.27.06.8
Diesel engine warning light5.15.86.0
Suspension arm ball joint (front)1.94.67.1
Windscreen washers2.62.93.8

Faults per 100 first tests, by the car's mileage at the test.

When a car fails

26in every 100

of failed cars had one item to fix.

54in every 100

of failed cars had three or more items to fix.

8in every 100

of all first tests had a defect the tester marked dangerous (unsafe to drive away).

Every figure here is a first-attempt MOT rate from DVSA open data for this model line, for cars of this model year tested in 2025. Each mileage band holds a fifth of the tests. MOTs do not test engine or gearbox internals, so this is a pre-purchase checklist, not a full reliability score.

FAQs

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

The 2014 Nissan Navara follows the pattern of the model years either side. Its main cause of failure was Individual sidelight or tail light (front), about 15 in every 100 failed tests. In 2025, 57.8% of 3,171 first MOTs on the 2014 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 65.8%. Among 1,338 failed first-attempt MOT tests (test year 2025), Chassis condition (rear) appears more often than on similar cars (7.4% of those tests; 99 observed failures; about 123× 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 2014 Nissan Navara at the first attempt were Individual sidelight or tail light (front) (15.0%), Track rod end (front) (14.5%) and Diesel engine warning light (13.3%), 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: Chassis condition (rear) (7.4% of those tests; 99 observed failures; about 123× more often than similar cars). These are statistical signals, not a diagnosis of any individual car.
Chassis condition (rear) shows up more often than on similar cars (7.4% of those tests; 99 observed failures; about 123× 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 2014 Nissan Navara include Chassis condition (rear), Suspension mounting area (rear), Propeller shaft joints (front). 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 2014 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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