Dodge Nitro MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

Dodge Nitro MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The Dodge Nitro passed on its first attempt in 62.9%, and its overall record sits −10.5 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Dodge Nitro in the 2023–2025 data: 4,065 tests across 3 model years (2007–2009). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.

Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.

Most Common Dodge Nitro MOT Problems by Failure Category

Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Dodge Nitro, the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.

Shares are over the Dodge Nitro's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

Top Recorded Dodge Nitro DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Dodge Nitro, each with how many of the model's 4,065 tests it was noted on.

• "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (Minor) — noted on about 345 Dodge Nitro tests, 8.5% of the model's MOT record.
• "Position lamp not working" (Major) — noted on about 241 Dodge Nitro tests, 5.9% of the model's MOT record.
• "Rbt (sp) efficiency below requirements" (Major) — noted on about 221 Dodge Nitro tests, 5.4% of the model's MOT record.
• "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 216 Dodge Nitro tests, 5.3% of the model's MOT record.
• "Battery(ies) insecure but not likely to fall from carrier" (Minor) — noted on about 186 Dodge Nitro tests, 4.6% of the model's MOT record.
• "Ball joint excessively worn" (Major) — noted on about 184 Dodge Nitro tests, 4.5% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Dodge Nitro Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Dodge Nitro model year on record is 2009 (71.2% across 1,486 tests), and the weakest is 2007 (69.5%). The gap between them is 1.7 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

Dodge Nitro reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 0.9 points a year across the most recent model years shown above.

Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.

Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Dodge Nitro Owners

These checks follow this Dodge Nitro's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Dodge Nitro.

• the lights — “registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources”

  Switch everything on and walk round the car: both headlamps on dip and main, every indicator, both brake lights, reverse, fog and the two number-plate lamps. A bulb is a few pounds and a five-minute job.

• the windscreen — “windscreen damaged”

  Check the driver’s side of the screen within the swept area for chips and cracks; anything larger than 10mm in the driver’s central view is a fail. Most chips can be resin-repaired for far less than a new screen.

• the battery — “battery(ies) insecure”

  Check the battery is secure and its terminals are clean and tight — a loose battery is a fail on its own, and a weak one shows up as slow cranking on a cold morning.

Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Dodge Nitro. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.

Frequently Asked Questions: Dodge Nitro MOT & Reliability