Model Reports 8 min read Updated 11 Sep 2026 DVSA open data · 7,400 tests analysed

Nissan Navara 2018: reliability & common MOT faults

2,214 first-attempt MOT failures were recorded on the 2018 Nissan Navara in 2025. Figures are among first-attempt failed MOT tests, not among all tests.

Coil spring (front) was the most common reason a 2018 Navara failed its MOT — 30.6% of its failed first attempts.

First-attempt pass

70.1%

of 7,400 first tests (2025)

First tests

7,400

test year 2025

Failed first attempts

2,214

failed first-attempt tests

MOT pass rates

First-attempt and official-style rates among class 4 first tests of the year.

First-attempt pass

70.1%

of 7,400 first tests (2025)

Official-style pass

74.1%

incl. same-day PRS fixes

First tests

7,400

class 4 · first MOT of the year

Typical age 7.0 yrs · median mileage 77,627 mi

vs 2024: -2.7 pp first-attempt

Note:

  • Class 4 cars · first MOT of the year per vehicle · P/PRS/F outcomes (2025 data).
  • PRS (fixed at the station the same day) counts as a fail in the first-attempt rate.
  • Raw outcomes for this cohort — not adjusted for age, mileage, or peer mix.
  • MOT doesn't test engine or gearbox internals.

Common faults

Failure patterns that show up more often on this registration year than on similar cars.

These MOT failure patterns show up more often on this registration year than on similar cars of the same class, age, and mileage.

Shares below are measured across the 2,213 of 2,214 failed first attempts that recorded an odometer reading in 2025 — the subset the age-and-mileage comparison can be computed on.

Standout: Pins and bushes (rear) — 5.6% of this year's failed first attempts

Recorded on 124 of those tests. It tops the table on elevation — about 29× more often than on similar cars of the same age and mileage. That is what makes it unusual for its class, which is a different question from what is most likely to fail; the buying checklist ranks by that. The full ranked list is in the table below.

Fault pattern Location Failures vs similar cars Share of fails Confidence
Pins and bushes (rear)
Suspension > Anti-roll bars > Pins and bushes
 Rear 124 ×29 5.6% Strong
Coil spring (front)
Suspension > Springs > Coil springs > Coil spring
 Front 677 ×9.1 30.6% Strong
Rigid brake pipes (rear)
Brakes > Rigid brake pipes
 Rear 49 ×4.8 2.2% Likely
Coil spring (rear)
Suspension > Springs > Coil springs > Coil spring
 Rear 294 ×4.1 13.3% Likely
Malfunction indicator lamp
Noise, emissions and leaks > Exhaust emissions > Compression ignition > Malfunction indicator lamp
 Any 360 ×3.9 16.3% Likely
Rear fog lamp
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Front and rear fog lamps > Rear fog lamp > Rear fog lamp
 Any 53 ×3.2 2.4% Likely
Position lamp (rear)
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Position lamps > Position lamp
 Rear 65 ×2.0 2.9% Possible

Only patterns that clear minimum sample and elevation thresholds are shown (at least 20 failures and about 2.0× more often than similar cars).

Note: Rates and comparisons are among first-attempt failed tests, not all MOTs. Patterns come from MOT defect codes — not manufacturer service bulletins, recalls, or a diagnosis of any individual car. Failures and advisories are listed separately.

Advisories

Notes recorded at the test that appear more often than on similar cars.

Advisory notes recorded on failed first-attempt tests that appear more often than on similar cars.

Advisory pattern Location Notes vs similar cars Share Confidence
Pins and bushes (rear)
Suspension > Anti-roll bars > Pins and bushes
 Rear 158 ×42 7.1% Strong
Linkage pins and bushes (rear)
Suspension > Anti-roll bars > Linkage pins and bushes
 Rear 22 ×13 1.0% Elevated
Linkage ball joints (rear)
Suspension > Anti-roll bars > Linkage ball joints
 Rear 24 ×12 1.1% Elevated
Pins and bushes (front)
Suspension > Anti-roll bars > Pins and bushes
 Front 31 ×6.5 1.4% Possible
Ball joint (front)
Suspension > Suspension arms > Ball joint
 Front 142 ×5.0 6.4% Elevated
Rigid brake pipes (front)
Brakes > Rigid brake pipes
 Front 78 ×3.5 3.5% Likely
Rigid brake pipes (rear)
Brakes > Rigid brake pipes
 Rear 79 ×3.2 3.6% Likely
Stop lamp
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Stop lamp
 Any 21 ×2.7 0.9% Elevated
Note: Advisories are not a fail rate — they flag issues noted at the test, often before they become failures.

If you are buying one

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

Nothing separates this year from the Navaras either side of it, so buy on the individual car. The checks below are the items that actually failed 2018 Navaras, commonest first.

Other Navara years worth knowing about

Newer cars always pass more often, so a plain "best year" list would just rank by age. These are the years that beat or miss the trend their own neighbouring years set — the only age-adjusted signal this data supports.

Year vs the years either side First-attempt pass (rises with newer cars) First tests
2016 Navara +6.1 pp better 70.2% 7,275
2021 Navara +4.5 pp better 82.2% 6,561
2015 Navara -3.6 pp worse 60.4% 3,600
2017 Navara -2.4 pp worse 67.7% 8,322

What to check on a 2018 Navara

The items that failed 2018 Navaras most often, as a share of the year's failed first attempts. This is what goes wrong, not what is unusual — the table further up the page covers that.

  • Coil spring (front) — recorded on 30.6% of failed first attempts
  • Malfunction indicator lamp — recorded on 16.3% of failed first attempts
  • Brake pads (front) — recorded on 9.7% of failed first attempts
  • Tread depth (rear) — recorded on 5.6% of failed first attempts
  • Pins and bushes (rear) — recorded on 5.6% of failed first attempts

Every figure here is a first-attempt MOT rate from DVSA open data for this model line. 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.

Coil spring (front) was the most common reason a 2018 Navara failed its MOT — 30.6% of its failed first attempts. In 2025, 70.1% of 7,400 first MOTs on the 2018 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 74.1%. Among 2,214 failed first-attempt MOT tests (test year 2025), Pins and bushes (rear) appears more often than o…
Ranked by how often they were actually recorded, the items that failed 2018 Nissan Navaras most often at the first attempt were Coil spring (front) (30.6%), Malfunction indicator lamp (16.3%) and Brake pads (front) (9.7%) — each as a share of the year's failed first attempts. That is what goes wrong on the car. It is a different question from which patterns are unusual for the class, which the common-faults table an…
Among failed first-attempt tests we highlight patterns that appear more often than on similar cars. Top example: Pins and bushes (rear) (5.6% of those tests; 124 observed failures; about 29× more often than similar cars). These are statistical signals, not a diagnosis of any individual car.
Pins and bushes (rear) shows up more often than on similar cars (5.6% of those tests; 124 observed failures; about 29× 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 check point, not a manufacturer service bulletin.
Common MOT problem areas for the 2018 Nissan Navara include Pins and bushes (rear), Coil spring (front), Rigid brake pipes (rear). These patterns show up more often than on similar cars after we filter out sparse noise — not a full list of every possible fault on an 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 2018 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.
  • We never invent pass rates, star scores, or ranks when those data marts are missing.

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

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