Part of the Nissan Micra K12 (2003–2010) guide: best and worst years compared.

Used car guide

2009 Nissan Micra: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the Nissan Micra first registered in 2009: we looked at the 14,692 MOTs these cars had during 2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

14,692MOTs of 2009 cars, done in 2025
58%pass first time (all 2009 cars: 58%)
4,600typical miles a year
3.5×the usual rate for individual direction indicators

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2009 Nissan Micra?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2009 Nissan Micra than on all cars registered in 2009.

  • Individual direction indicators3.5× usual
    Nissan Micra
    10.1% All 2009 cars
    2.9%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.8%, against 1.2% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints1.6× usual
    Nissan Micra
    17.9% All 2009 cars
    11.1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.6%, against 2.3% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

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

  • Wipers1.8× usual
    Nissan Micra
    6.5% All 2009 cars
    3.6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.5%, against 2.4% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £15–£60 our estimate

    At the viewing: Test the wipers and washers on every speed.

  • Sub-frame bushes4.4× usual
    Nissan Micra
    2.2% All 2009 cars
    0.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.5%, against 0.1% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

  • Front struts2.6× usual
    Nissan Micra
    2.1% All 2009 cars
    0.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.1%, against 0.2% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £120–£400 our estimate

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

Better than most

Rigid brake pipes: 0.9% here, against 7.5% of all 2009 cars. Sub-frame: 1.4% here, against 7.7% of all 2009 cars.

Common 2009 Nissan Micra MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2009 Nissan Micra MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    41% 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.

  • Lights and electrics
    37% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Tyres
    33% 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
    21% 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.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    13% of testsRough price £15–£250

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

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    9% of testsRough price £80–£600

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.

Known faults on the 2009 Nissan Micra

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.

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2009 Nissan Micra

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Has the turbo been replaced?
  2. Any recent work on the individual direction indicators? (Flagged at MOT 3.5× as often on the 2009 Nissan Micra as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the suspension arm bushes and joints? (Flagged at MOT 1.6× as often on the 2009 Nissan Micra as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Any recent work on the wipers? (Flagged at MOT 1.8× as often on the 2009 Nissan Micra as on other cars the same age.)
  5. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Nissan Micra?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

Every year of the Nissan Micra compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2026–Too new for MOT data
2023–Too new for MOT data
20225,911Tyres 23%
20216,614Tyres 31%
20206,184Tyres 35%
20198,543Tyres 31%
20189,981Suspension 38%
201712,651Suspension 40%
201610,681Suspension 37%
201512,942Suspension 39%
201414,032Suspension 46%
201311,401Suspension 49%
201211,313Suspension 48%
201112,317Suspension 48%
201014,921Suspension 39%
200813,249Suspension 43%
200711,930Suspension 46%
200615,302Lights and electrics 47%
200512,779Lights and electrics 53%
20048,521Lights and electrics 52%
20037,615Lights and electrics 49%
20025,966Brakes 40%
20013,341Suspension 41%
20002,183Suspension 42%
19991,697Suspension 42%
19981,079Suspension 44%
1997537Suspension 46%
1996411Suspension 41%
1995254Brakes 38%
1994204Brakes 40%
1993134Suspension 37%
1992116Suspension 41%
1991101Brakes 40%
1990–Too few tests
1989–Too few tests
1988–Too few tests
1987–Too few tests
1986–Too few tests
1985–Too few tests
1984–Too few tests

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2025, counting the MOTs of Nissan Micra cars first registered in 2009. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score