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Nissan Leaf MOT Check

MOT pass rates, common failures, and reliability data for the Nissan Leaf. Check any Leaf by registration number below.

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76.9%

Avg Pass Rate

-4.2%

vs Nissan Avg

15

Year Ranges

Good

Reliability

Nissan Leaf — MOT Reliability Overview

The Nissan Leaf has an average MOT pass rate of 76.9%, which is 4.2 percentage points below the Nissan brand average of 81.2%. This is a reasonable result that reflects typical UK reliability standards. Regular servicing and addressing advisories promptly will help keep your Leaf on the road.

The most common reasons a Nissan Leaf fails its MOT are a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired. If you are preparing your Leaf for its MOT, checking these areas first could save you a retest fee. Our detailed fault analysis includes estimated repair costs for each failure type.

Typical mileage for the Leaf is around 34,000 miles at 5 years. When evaluating a used Leaf, compare the odometer reading against these benchmarks. Significantly lower mileage than expected could indicate a clocked vehicle — run a free mileage check to verify.

Before buying a used Nissan Leaf, we recommend checking the full MOT history, write-off status, outstanding finance, and stolen vehicle status. These checks can be done for free using the registration number.

MOT Pass Rate by Year

How the Nissan Leaf performs at MOT across different model years.

2023

Based on 53 vehicles

98.1%Excellent
Nissan average: 81.2%
Dangerous Defects

0.0%

Retest Rate

2.0%

2022

Based on 559 vehicles

97.3%Excellent
Nissan average: 81.2%
Dangerous Defects

1.2%

Retest Rate

2.6%

Mileage at 3yr

34k mi

2021

Based on 14,129 vehicles

94.0%Excellent
Nissan average: 81.2%
Dangerous Defects

1.6%

Retest Rate

6.0%

Mileage at 3yr

37k mi

2020

Based on 20,317 vehicles

92.2%Excellent
Nissan average: 81.2%
Dangerous Defects

2.1%

Retest Rate

8.7%

Mileage at 3yr

40k mi

Mileage at 5yr

68k mi

2019

Based on 12,296 vehicles

90.7%Excellent
Nissan average: 81.2%
Dangerous Defects

3.1%

Retest Rate

10.4%

Mileage at 3yr

60k mi

Mileage at 5yr

66k mi

2018

Based on 12,289 vehicles

88.4%Excellent
Nissan average: 81.2%
Dangerous Defects

4.4%

Retest Rate

12.8%

Mileage at 5yr

69k mi

2017

Based on 11,910 vehicles

84.1%Good
Nissan average: 81.2%
Dangerous Defects

4.9%

Retest Rate

16.8%

Mileage at 5yr

61k mi

2016

Based on 9,524 vehicles

77.9%Good
Nissan average: 81.2%
Dangerous Defects

5.9%

Retest Rate

22.4%

2015

Based on 9,614 vehicles

72.8%Average
Nissan average: 81.2%
Dangerous Defects

7.0%

Retest Rate

28.3%

Mileage at 10yr

98k mi

2014

Based on 7,195 vehicles

67.4%Average
Nissan average: 81.2%
Dangerous Defects

8.5%

Retest Rate

33.0%

Mileage at 10yr

105k mi

2013

Based on 2,935 vehicles

63.5%Below Average
Nissan average: 81.2%
Dangerous Defects

8.5%

Retest Rate

37.1%

Mileage at 10yr

105k mi

2012

Based on 1,113 vehicles

69.0%Average
Nissan average: 81.2%
Dangerous Defects

7.4%

Retest Rate

27.3%

Mileage at 10yr

90k mi

2011

Based on 1,098 vehicles

71.6%Average
Nissan average: 81.2%
Dangerous Defects

6.1%

Retest Rate

24.0%

2010

Based on 18,000 vehicles

0.9%Poor
Nissan average: 81.2%
Dangerous Defects

0.0%

Retest Rate

0.1%

Mileage at 3yr

20k mi

Mileage at 5yr

34k mi

Mileage at 10yr

65k mi

0

Based on 41,664 vehicles

86.2%Excellent
Nissan average: 81.2%
Mileage at 5yr

45k mi

Top MOT Failures — Nissan Leaf

The most common reasons a Nissan Leaf fails its MOT, aggregated across all year ranges.

1

A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play

4.0%
2

A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn

3.3%
3

The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired

1.9%
4

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

1.6%
5

Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen

1.5%

Where Failures Occur

The areas of the vehicle most commonly flagged during MOT inspections.

Front Offside Lower

1.9%

Front Nearside

1.9%

Typical Mileage — Nissan Leaf

Average mileage readings recorded at MOT tests for the 2010 model year range. Use these benchmarks to evaluate a used Leaf.

At 3 Years

20,000

miles

At 5 Years

34,000

miles

At 10 Years

65,000

miles

Nissan Leaf — Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about the Nissan Leaf MOT and reliability.

What is the MOT pass rate for the Nissan Leaf?
The average MOT pass rate for the Nissan Leaf is 76.9% compared to the Nissan average of 81.2%. Pass rates vary by year — check the year-by-year breakdown on this page for details.
What are the most common MOT failures on a Nissan Leaf?
The most common MOT failures on the Nissan Leaf are: A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play (4.0%), A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn (3.3%), The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired (1.9%). These are the components most likely to cause an MOT failure.
Is the Nissan Leaf reliable?
With an average MOT pass rate of 76.9%, the Nissan Leaf is rated as "Good" for reliability. This is a strong result suggesting good build quality and fewer common defects.
How do I check the MOT history of a Nissan Leaf?
Enter the vehicle's registration number in the search box at the top of this page. You will instantly see the complete MOT history including every test result, mileage readings, advisories, and dangerous defects — completely free.
What mileage should I expect on a Nissan Leaf?
Typical mileage for the Nissan Leaf: 33,994 miles at 3 years. Use these benchmarks when evaluating a used Leaf to spot vehicles with unusually high or low mileage.

Check Your Nissan Leaf's MOT History

Enter the registration number for the full MOT history — free and instant.

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