Used car guide · 2016–2021

Nissan NV300 common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Nissan NV300, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 6,281 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

6,281MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model
137on the UK register
2021best year at its MOT

Pick the year

Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).

202120202019201820172016

What usually goes wrong with a Nissan NV300?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Nissan NV300 in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.

Common Nissan NV300 MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, in more than one year. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.

  • Shock absorbers

    up to 6× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.

    Rough price £200–£300 (pair, average rear to front) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.

  • Anti-roll bar link joints

    up to 38.5× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

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

  • Track rod ends

    up to 10.6× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

    Rough price £50–£150 (one end, plus about £30–£50 if it needs a wheel alignment) ClickMechanic

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

  • Ball joint

    up to 7.8× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2017, 2018 and 2020.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

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

  • Brake lights

    up to 13× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2017 and 2021.

    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.

  • Number plate lights

    up to 4.6× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2018 and 2019.

    Rough price £5–£40 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the number plate lights work and the plates are clean and legal.

Nissan NV300 MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2021 Nissan NV300 did best (78% passed first time, 9 points below all 2021 cars) and the 2017 did worst (66%, 14 points below all 2017 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
202178%87% -91,369
202074%87% -131,086
201973%85% -121,053
201870%83% -131,141
201766%80% -141,494
201666%77% -11138 (small sample)

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Nissan NV300

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

  1. Any recent work on the shock absorbers? (Flagged at MOT 6× as often on the Nissan NV300 as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the anti-roll bar link joints? (Flagged at MOT 38.5× as often on the Nissan NV300 as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the track rod ends? (Flagged at MOT 10.6× as often on the Nissan NV300 as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Nissan NV300?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score