Nissan Primastar
From 18,517 MOT tests. Below average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play and brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 2,348 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 | 2,348 |
| a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 1,311 |
| brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded | 854 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 846 |
| parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 831 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 652 |
| windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 528 |
| a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 516 |
| stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 492 |
| parking brake inoperative on one side | 478 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 60.3% of Primastar failures are safety items (worn brakes, tyre damage, steering play). The car still drives, but you shouldn't. Only 11.2% are the kind that would actually strand you. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £142.
Nissan Primastar on UK roads
The fleet is growing: 2,808 newly registered in the past year with 1,180 leaving, a net gain of 1,628. Currently at its highest numbers ever.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 16,790 | 2,796 | +695 | -232 | +463 |
| 2025 Q2 | 16,375 | 2,748 | +617 | -304 | +313 |
| 2025 Q1 | 16,048 | 2,762 | +895 | -292 | +603 |
| 2024 Q4 | 15,538 | 2,669 | +601 | -352 | +249 |
| 2024 Q3 | 15,413 | 2,545 | +830 | -254 | +576 |
| 2024 Q2 | 14,866 | 2,516 | +802 | -229 | +573 |
| 2024 Q1 | 14,313 | 2,496 | +671 | -366 | +305 |
| 2023 Q4 | 14,050 | 2,454 | +653 | -280 | +373 |
19 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primastar Tekna Dci | Diesel | 4,728 | 29% |
| Primastar Acenta Dci | Diesel | 2,791 | 17% |
| Primastar Dci 115 Se Swb | Diesel | 1,909 | 12% |
| Primastar Se Dci100 Swb | Diesel | 1,809 | 11% |
| Primastar Se Swb Dci | Diesel | 1,018 | 6% |
| Primastar Se Lwb Dci | Diesel | 904 | 6% |
| Primastar Tekna Dci Auto | Diesel | 590 | 4% |
| Primastar Dci 115 Se Lwb | Diesel | 515 | 3% |
| Primastar Se Dci Swb | Diesel | 463 | 3% |
| Primastar Visia Dci | Diesel | 429 | 3% |
| Primastar Tekna + Dci | Diesel | 365 | 2% |
| Primastar Se 2900 Lwb | Diesel | 247 | 2% |
| Primastar Se Dci Lwb | Diesel | 157 | <1% |
| Primastar Tekna + Dci Auto | Diesel | 121 | <1% |
| Primastar Dci 90 Swb | Diesel | 105 | <1% |
| Primastar Se + Swb Dci | Diesel | 75 | <1% |
| Primastar Dci 9S Swb | Diesel | 64 | <1% |
| Primastar Dci 150 Se | Diesel | 50 | <1% |
| Primastar Se Dci80 Swb | Diesel | 50 | <1% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 62.9% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2013 | 64.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2012 | 61.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2011 | 63.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
8 earlier years
| 2010 | 62.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded |
| 2009 | 62.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2008 | 63.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2007 | 62.6% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2006 | 63.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2005 | 61.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2004 | 60% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2003 | 62.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
Typical mileage
Half of all Primastars tested had between 86,629 and 156,956 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 113,011 median miles, the Primastar has 0.033 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 Primastar MOT pass rate?
The Nissan Primastar has a 62.5% MOT pass rate based on 18,517 real MOT tests. This is below the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Nissan Primastar?
The most common MOT failure on the Nissan Primastar is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 2,348 failures. Other common issues include a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play.
How many Nissan Primastars are on UK roads?
There are 16,790 Nissan Primastars currently licensed on UK roads, with 2,796 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Nissan Primastar at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Nissan Primastar is 113,011 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 86,629 and 156,956 miles.
Buying a used Primastar?
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 62.5% pass rate and an average repair bill of £142 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
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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.