Nissan Altima MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 954 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 37.9%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Nissan Altima MOT Reliability Overview
The Nissan Altima is a rare vehicle in the UK, with 954 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 14 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 62.1% and a failure rate of 37.9%, which is around the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Nissan Altima earns a "Average" reliability rating. The average Nissan Altima presents for MOT with approximately 82,405 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2011 models achieve the highest pass rate at 78.7%, while 2003 models have the lowest at 42.1%. This 36.6 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Nissan Altima is Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment, affecting 39.7% of all tests. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. The second most common issue is Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment at 24.7%. Tyres rounds out the top three at 19.1%. Together, these top 3 failure categories account for a significant portion of all MOT failures for this model.
Top failures across all manufacture years combined. Individual year pages may show different top failures.
What Fails Most
Pass Rate by Manufacture Year
* High Fail Rate badge indicates an MOT pass rate below 65% (failure rate above 35%).
What Fails on This Car?
Click a category to see specific failure items.
View as table
| Rank | Failure Category | Rate (%) | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamps, Reflectors And Electrical Equipment | 78.9% | 753 |
| 2 | Tyres | 20.9% | 199 |
| 3 | Suspension | 19.9% | 190 |
| 4 | Brakes | 17.1% | 163 |
| 5 | Driver's View Of The Road | 6.8% | 65 |
| 6 | Steering | 6.1% | 58 |
| 7 | Visibility | 4.3% | 41 |
| 8 | Body, Chassis, Structure | 3.4% | 32 |
| 9 | Exhaust, Fuel And Emissions | 3.0% | 29 |
| 10 | Non-component Advisories | 2.6% | 25 |
| 11 | Noise, Emissions And Leaks | 2.1% | 20 |
| 12 | Seat Belts And Supplementary Restraint Systems | 1.6% | 15 |
| 13 | Identification Of The Vehicle | 1.4% | 13 |
| 14 | Registration Plates And Vin | 1.2% | 11 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 82,405 miFor every 10,000 miles driven, this shows what percentage of MOT tests fail for each category. This accounts for how far cars are actually driven, not just raw pass/fail counts.
View as table
| Category | Rate / 10K mi | Raw % | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps & Electrical | 9.58 | 78.9% | 753 |
| Tyres | 2.53 | 20.9% | 199 |
| Suspension | 2.42 | 19.9% | 190 |
| Brakes | 2.07 | 17.1% | 163 |
| Visibility | 1.35 | 11.1% | 106 |
| Steering | 0.74 | 6.1% | 58 |
| Body & Structure | 0.41 | 3.4% | 32 |
| Emissions & Exhaust | 0.37 | 3.0% | 29 |
| Non-component advisories | 0.32 | 2.6% | 25 |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.25 | 2.1% | 20 |
| Seat Belts | 0.19 | 1.6% | 15 |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.17 | 1.4% | 13 |
| Registration Plates and VIN | 0.14 | 1.2% | 11 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Nissan Altima has 82,405 miles when tested for MOT.
📊 Mileage-Adjusted Failure Rate
How often this car fails MOT relative to how much it's driven — a fairer comparison than raw pass rate.
The Nissan Altima has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 4.60% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is better than average.
About Nissan Altima MOT Data
The Nissan Altima is a rare vehicle in the UK, with 954 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 14 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 62.1% and a failure rate of 37.9%, which is around the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Nissan Altima owners, these results suggest average reliability — some preparation before MOT can improve pass chances. Focus your pre-MOT checks on lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment and lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment for the best chance of a first-time pass. Use our detailed year-by-year breakdown and failure analysis below to understand how your specific Altima is likely to perform.
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 39.7% of failures
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment issues account for 39.7% of MOT failures on the Nissan Altima. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs: £5–50. Pre-MOT check: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test.
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 24.7% of failures
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment issues account for 24.7% of MOT failures on the Nissan Altima. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs: £5–50. Pre-MOT check: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test.
Tyres — 19.1% of failures
Tyres issues account for 19.1% of MOT failures on the Nissan Altima. Tyre failures include tread depth below the legal minimum of 1.6mm, cuts, bulges, exposed cords, and incorrect tyre pressure. Tyres are one of the most common and easiest-to-prevent MOT failures. Typical repair costs: £50–200 per tyre. Pre-MOT check: Check tread depth with a 20p coin — if the outer band is visible, the tyre is too worn. Look for bulges, cuts, or embedded objects. Ensure all tyres match the recommended size and load rating.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Nissan Altima?
Based on 954 MOT tests in our database, the Nissan Altima has an overall pass rate of 62.1% (37.9% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Nissan Altima?
The top 3 reasons a Nissan Altima fails its MOT are: 1. Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment (39.7%), 2. Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (24.7%), 3. Tyres (19.1%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Nissan Altima reliable?
With a 37.9% MOT failure rate, the Altima is about average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Nissan Altima?
Based on failure data, focus on: Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment (39.7%); Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (24.7%); Tyres (19.1%). These are the areas most likely to cause a fail. Also check all lights, tyres (minimum 1.6mm tread), and windscreen condition — these are quick wins that apply to all cars.
Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.