Used car guide

2014 Nissan Qashqai: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2014 Nissan Qashqais, from 43,675 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

43,675MOT tests in 2025
65%pass first time (all 2014 cars: 69%)
7,900typical miles a year
5.8×the usual rate for ball joint dust cover

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2014 Nissan Qashqais than on all cars registered in 2014.

  • Ball joint dust cover5.8× usual
    Nissan Qashqai
    12.8% All 2014 cars
    2.2%
    Rough price £80–£200

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

  • Track rod end3.2× usual
    Nissan Qashqai
    14.4% All 2014 cars
    4.5%
    Rough price £80–£450

    At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.

  • Brake pads1.8× usual
    Nissan Qashqai
    18.1% All 2014 cars
    9.9%
    Rough price £80–£180

    At the viewing: Listen for squealing or grinding when braking, and look through the wheel at how much pad is left.

  • Ball joint2.7× usual
    Nissan Qashqai
    11.4% All 2014 cars
    4.2%
    Rough price £80–£200

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints1.6× usual
    Nissan Qashqai
    13.3% All 2014 cars
    8.2%
    Rough price £100–£300

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

Better than most

Braking performance: 1.9% here, against 4% of all 2014 cars.

By area

The share of 2014 Nissan Qashqai MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    48% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Tyres
    34% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Brakes
    29% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Lights and electrics
    15% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    9% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Seats and seatbelts
    4% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

Known faults

Reported by owners, mechanics and buying guides for this model and age. Check which engine the car has, as some apply to one engine only.

  • Oil burning (1.2 DIG-T)
    1.2 DIG-T petrol

    Owners report heavy oil use and some piston failures on the 1.2 DIG-T petrol, sometimes needing a new engine.

    At the viewing: Check the oil level on the dipstick. A spare bottle of oil in the boot is a warning sign. Listen for a noisy timing chain.

    Source: Car Mechanics: buying a Nissan Qashqai J11

  • CVT automatic judder
    CVT automatic only

    The CVT automatic on earlier cars can judder at low speed and overheat on long climbs. Replacement is expensive.

    At the viewing: If it’s an automatic, test for judder at low speed and look for a gearbox temperature warning.

    Source: Car Mechanics: buying a Nissan Qashqai J11

  • Turbo and particulate filter (1.5 dCi)
    1.5 dCi diesel

    The 1.5 dCi diesel’s turbo can fail early, and town-driven cars can block the EGR valve and particulate filter.

    At the viewing: Listen for a whistle and loss of power, and watch for DPF or EGR warning lights.

    Source: Car Mechanics: buying a Nissan Qashqai J11

  • Rear springs breaking

    Rear springs commonly snap. The first sign is a knock from the back over bumps.

    At the viewing: Listen for a knock from the rear on bumpy roads.

    Source: Car Mechanics: buying a Nissan Qashqai J11

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
202115,476Tyres 25%
202031,428Tyres 29%
201949,723Tyres 31%
201847,031Tyres 31%
201759,502Tyres 31%
201658,096Suspension 36%
201555,621Suspension 40%
201344,378Suspension 57%
201238,724Suspension 59%
201130,934Suspension 63%
201027,883Suspension 64%
200919,568Suspension 67%
200811,014Suspension 66%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2014 Nissan Qashqais registered in 2014. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score