Nissan Vanette MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

Nissan Vanette MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The Nissan Vanette passed on its first attempt in 53.4%, and its overall record sits −16.6 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Nissan Vanette in the 2023–2025 data: 623 tests across 3 model years (2000–2002). 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 Vanette MOT Problems by Failure Category

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

Top Recorded Nissan Vanette DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Nissan Vanette, each with how many of the model's 623 tests it was noted on.

• "Component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength" (Major) — noted on about 102 Nissan Vanette tests, 16.4% of the model's MOT record.
• "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (Minor) — noted on about 56 Nissan Vanette tests, 9.0% of the model's MOT record.
• "Service brake imbalance across an axle" (Major) — noted on about 43 Nissan Vanette tests, 6.9% of the model's MOT record.
• "Service brake performance excessively binding" (Major) — noted on about 29 Nissan Vanette tests, 4.7% of the model's MOT record.
• "Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded" (Major) — noted on about 19 Nissan Vanette tests, 3.1% of the model's MOT record.
• "Rbt (sp) efficiency below requirements" (Major) — noted on about 17 Nissan Vanette tests, 2.7% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Nissan Vanette Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Nissan Vanette model year on record is 2000 (68.3% across 218 tests), and the weakest is 2002 (60.5%). The gap between them is 7.8 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

Nissan Vanette reliability is declining in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 3.9 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 Nissan Vanette Owners

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

• corrosion — “component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength”

  Look under the sills, around the jacking points and where the suspension mounts meet the body. Flaking, holed or crumbly metal fails; a brown stain on sound metal does not.

• 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 brake pipes — “rigid brake pipes excessively corroded”

  Brake pipes run under the car, usually in front of the rear wheels. Flaking or crusty metal is what fails; a light dusting of surface rust does not. Worth asking a garage to look while it is on a ramp.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Nissan Vanette MOT & Reliability