MOT failure data · 2025

Nissan Leaf MOT problems

Across every Nissan Leaf that failed its 2025 MOT, the defect testers recorded most often was ball joint ball joint excessively worn, on 15.45% of failure items. The broadest problem area was suspension at 29.86%. These are recorded defects across the model, not a diagnosis of any one car.

Most common Nissan Leaf MOT failures

#	Recorded defect	Area	Share
1	Ball joint ball joint excessively worn	Suspension	15.45%
2	Tread depth tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm	Tyres	7.89%
3	Condition has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords	Tyres	7.47%
4	Wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively	Visibility	6.19%
5	Condition has ply or cords exposed	Tyres	4.78%
6	Pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn	Suspension	3.95%
7	Brake pads less than 1.5 mm thick	Brakes	3.13%
8	Linkage ball joints ball joint excessively worn	Suspension	2.86%
9	Coil spring fractured or broken	Suspension	2.41%
10	Position lamp not working	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	2.38%

Shares are of all recorded failure items for this model, so they sum to less than 100% — a single failed test often records several defects, and the long tail below the top 10 is not shown.

What this means if you are buying one

Use it as a viewing checklist. If you are looking at a Nissan Leaf, these are the areas worth inspecting and worth asking about — and worth reading the car's own MOT history for, since a defect that keeps reappearing as an advisory is a better signal than any model-wide average.

The MOT record also has hard limits: it does not check the engine, clutch or gearbox, and it says nothing about outstanding finance, insurance write-off history, stolen markers or whether the mileage is genuine. Our used Nissan Leaf buying guide covers what to check beyond the MOT.

Checking a specific Nissan Leaf?

Enter its registration for finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history.

Other Nissan models

Nissan Leaf MOT FAQs

What does a Nissan Leaf most commonly fail its MOT on?

The single most recorded defect on Nissan Leaf cars failing their 2025 MOT was "ball joint ball joint excessively worn", appearing on 15.45% of failure items.

Does this mean my Nissan Leaf will fail?

No. This is what testers recorded across every Nissan Leaf that failed in 2025. It shows where this model tends to need attention, not the condition of any individual car. The Nissan Leaf passed 83.13% of its initial tests.

How do I see a specific Nissan Leaf's MOT history?

Enter its registration on our free MOT history check to see that car's own test results, advisories and recorded mileages.

Defect counts from the DVSA MOT Anonymised test-item data for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, failure items only — advisories and minor defects excluded), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.