Dodge Nitro: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Dodge Nitro fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 13 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 1,090 individual Dodge Nitro tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 63.7% first-time pass rate means roughly 36 in every 100 Dodge Nitros presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is worse than average, so budget for remedial work and treat a fresh 12-month MOT as a genuine selling point rather than a given. The average Dodge Nitro tested had covered 106,609 miles and was built around 2008.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Dodge Nitro sits 13 points below the national average, ranked 1,886 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, assume the mechanical side needs more than the visible accident damage, and pad your repair estimate accordingly.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific Dodge Nitro rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see recorded closing bids for damaged Dodge Nitros at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Dodge Nitro

1. Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value, 6.5% of tests (17.77x the national rate for this defect)
2. Warning device shows system malfunction, 3.8% of tests (9.09x the national rate for this defect)
3. Parking brake inoperative on one side, 4.4% of tests (7.39x the national rate for this defect)
4. An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction, 2.9% of tests (7.07x the national rate for this defect)
5. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 9.2% of tests (7.05x the national rate for this defect)
6. A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED, 5% of tests (4.12x the national rate for this defect)
7. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 4.2% of tests (4.07x the national rate for this defect)
8. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 8.7% of tests (3.91x the national rate for this defect)
9. Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 3.9% of tests (2.9x the national rate for this defect)
10. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 5.1% of tests (2.25x the national rate for this defect)

From 1,090 DVSA-tracked Dodge Nitro tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 5.72% of these flagged Dodge Nitro defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Dodge Nitro

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a Dodge Nitro before it actually fails on it.

1. A wheel bearing with excessive play, 5.8% of tests (8.91x the national rate for this advisory)
2. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 5.9% of tests (2.94x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
3. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 3.4% of tests (2.73x the national rate for this advisory)
4. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 12.5% of tests (2.41x the national rate for this advisory)
5. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 6.8% of tests (2.39x the national rate for this advisory)
6. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 11.6% of tests (2.08x the national rate for this advisory)
7. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 27.4% of tests (2.05x the national rate for this advisory)
8. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 2.9% of tests (1.93x the national rate for this advisory)
9. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 4.3% of tests (1.35x the national rate for this advisory)
10. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 16.1% of tests (1.32x the national rate for this advisory)

From 1,090 DVSA-tracked Dodge Nitro tests, 2024.

Dodge Nitro pass rate by model year

From its 2008 to its 2009 model year, the Dodge Nitro's first-time pass rate has fallen 0.9 points, from 64.7% to 63.8%, an unusual pattern where even its newest years fail more than its oldest. First-time pass rate for each Dodge Nitro year:

• 2008 Dodge Nitro - 64.7% first-time pass, 529 tests
• 2009 Dodge Nitro - 63.8% first-time pass, 401 tests

Other Dodge models

• Dodge Ram - 84%
• Dodge Caliber - 54.5%
• Dodge Journey - 61.1%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Toyota Previa - 63.8%
• Nissan Primera - 63.8%
• Honda Fr-V - 63.7%
• Vauxhall Antara - 63.6%
• Fiat Punto - 63.5%
• Daihatsu Hijet - 63.3%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
• What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
• Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences
• Do you need an HPI check on a car you know is a write-off?

Embed this data

Run a site about the Dodge Nitro? Embed the real DVSA pass-rate badge free, linked back to this page.

<a href="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/mot/dodge-nitro"><img src="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/badge/dodge-nitro.svg" width="340" height="92" alt="Dodge Nitro MOT Pass Rate: 63.7% - Salvage Prophet"></a>

Run a garage or parts site? Embed the Dodge Nitro's top real failure reason instead, linked back here.

<a href="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/mot/dodge-nitro"><img src="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/badge/failure/dodge-nitro.svg" width="340" height="106" alt="Dodge Nitro most common MOT failure: Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (6.5% of tests) - Salvage Prophet"></a>

All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate