Nissan Cabstar
VanFrom 17,918 MOT tests. Below average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Cabstars fare better: 2020 models pass at 69.5% vs 58.6% for 2002.
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement and a shock absorber bush excessively worn. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 3,099 failures in 2024. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 3,099 |
| parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 1,306 |
| a shock absorber bush excessively worn | 898 |
| parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value | 858 |
| windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 847 |
| the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired | 845 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 822 |
| a headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of led | 812 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 743 |
| service brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 721 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 15.6% of Cabstar failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 40.2% are safety issues where the car still drives but shouldn't, such as worn brakes, corroded brake pipes, and steering wear. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £128.
The warranty question
A 3-year-old Cabstar passes its MOT 69.5% of the time. By 7 years old that drops to 63.7%, a 5.8 percentage point fall, right as the manufacturer warranty runs out. At 10 years it's down to 60.4%. With an average repair bill of £128 when things go wrong, an extended warranty can make sense on a Cabstar that's past its third birthday.
Nissan Cabstar on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 510 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 2 newly registered, a net loss of 508. At this rate, roughly 14.4 years until none remain. Now at 36.2% of its peak (20,121 in 1997 Q4).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 4,174 | 3,117 | +1 | -48 | -47 |
| 2025 Q2 | 4,285 | 3,053 | +1 | -86 | -85 |
| 2025 Q1 | 4,399 | 3,024 | +0 | -142 | -142 |
| 2024 Q4 | 4,521 | 3,044 | +0 | -234 | -234 |
| 2024 Q3 | 4,723 | 3,076 | +0 | -163 | -163 |
| 2024 Q2 | 4,921 | 3,041 | +0 | -79 | -79 |
| 2024 Q1 | 5,015 | 3,026 | +0 | -61 | -61 |
| 2023 Q4 | 5,159 | 2,943 | +0 | -122 | -122 |
14 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabstar 34.10 Swb | Diesel | 739 | 19% |
| Cabstar 34.11 S/C Swb | Diesel | 669 | 17% |
| Cabstar 35.13 S/C Swb | Diesel | 471 | 12% |
| Cabstar E95 Swb | Diesel | 341 | 9% |
| Cabstar 35.13 S/C Mwb | Diesel | 329 | 8% |
| Cabstar 35.14 S/C Swb | Diesel | 294 | 7% |
| Cabstar 34.12 S/C Swb | Diesel | 253 | 6% |
| Cabstar Lwb Diesel | Petrol | 220 | 6% |
| Cabstar 35.13 Mwb | Diesel | 148 | 4% |
| Cabstar 35.13 S/C Lwb | Diesel | 123 | 3% |
| Cabstar 35.14 S/C Lwb | Diesel | 121 | 3% |
| Cabstar E90 Swb | Petrol | 117 | 3% |
| Cabstar 35.14 S/C Mwb | Diesel | 104 | 3% |
| Cabstar | Diesel | 60 | 2% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 69.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a shock absorber bush excessively worn |
| 2019 | 70.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a shock absorber bush excessively worn |
| 2018 | 66.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a shock absorber bush excessively worn |
| 2017 | 67.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction |
20 earlier years
| 2016 | 63.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a shock absorber bush excessively worn |
| 2015 | 61.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2014 | 61.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2013 | 60.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2012 | 62.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2011 | 58.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2010 | 59.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2009 | 59.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2008 | 62.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2007 | 59.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2006 | 58.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 2005 | 56.8% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2004 | 63% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 2003 | 63.9% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2002 | 58.6% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2001 | 64.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 2000 | 63.8% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 1999 | 71.8% | 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, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 1998 | 69.1% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced |
| 1997 | 65.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of led |
Typical mileage
Half of all Cabstars tested had between 69,332 and 119,950 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 99,268 median miles, the Cabstar has 0.038 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Nissan models
| Nissan Qashqai | 76.1% |
| Nissan Juke | 75.3% |
| Nissan Micra | 71.2% |
| Nissan Note | 70.9% |
| Nissan Navara | 77% |
Common questions
What is the Nissan Cabstar MOT pass rate?
The Nissan Cabstar has a 62.7% MOT pass rate based on 17,918 real MOT tests. This is below the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Nissan Cabstar?
The most common MOT failure on the Nissan Cabstar is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 3,099 failures. Other common issues include parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement.
How many Nissan Cabstars are on UK roads?
There are 4,174 Nissan Cabstars currently licensed on UK roads, with 3,117 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Nissan Cabstar at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Nissan Cabstar is 99,268 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 69,332 and 119,950 miles.
Buying a used Cabstar?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 62.7% pass rate and an average repair bill of £128 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
Van insurance works differently to car insurance. Make sure you're comparing like-for-like quotes for your use case. Compare van insurance.
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MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.