Nissan 350 Z MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

Nissan 350 Z MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The Nissan 350 Z passed on its first attempt in 77.1%, and its overall record sits −0.9 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Nissan 350 Z in the 2023–2025 data: 17,930 tests across 18 model years (2002–2019). 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 Nissan 350 Z MOT Problems by Failure Category

Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Nissan 350 Z, 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 Nissan 350 Z's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

Top Recorded Nissan 350 Z DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Nissan 350 Z, each with how many of the model's 17,930 tests it was noted on.

• "Ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 655 Nissan 350 Z tests, 3.7% of the model's MOT record.
• "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 569 Nissan 350 Z tests, 3.2% of the model's MOT record.
• "Headlamp lens slightly defective" (Minor) — noted on about 560 Nissan 350 Z tests, 3.1% of the model's MOT record.
• "Catalyst emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits" (Major) — noted on about 497 Nissan 350 Z tests, 2.8% of the model's MOT record.
• "Position lamp not working" (Major) — noted on about 407 Nissan 350 Z tests, 2.3% of the model's MOT record.
• "Pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn" (Major) — noted on about 406 Nissan 350 Z tests, 2.3% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Nissan 350 Z Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Nissan 350 Z model year on record is 2013 (92.9% across 170 tests), and the weakest is 2002 (74.4%). The gap between them is 18.5 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

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

Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Nissan 350 Z Owners

These checks follow this Nissan 350 Z's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Nissan 350 Z.

• the suspension joints — “ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated”

  With the car parked on level ground, rock the top of each front wheel in and out while someone watches the suspension arm. Clunks, or rubber boots split and greasy, are what testers record here.

• 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 lights — “headlamp lens slightly defective”

  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.

Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Nissan 350 Z. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.

Frequently Asked Questions: Nissan 350 Z MOT & Reliability