Nissan Almera: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Nissan Almera fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 12.6 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 14,547 individual Nissan Almera tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 64.1% first-time pass rate means roughly 36 in every 100 Nissan Almeras 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 Nissan Almera tested had covered 86,969 miles and was built around 2004.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Nissan Almera sits 12.6 points below the national average, ranked 1,881 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 Nissan Almera 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 Nissan Almeras at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Nissan Almera

1. An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction, 3.1% of tests (7.47x the national rate for this defect)
2. 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, 5.4% of tests (5.69x the national rate for this defect)
3. Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 3.7% of tests (4.91x the national rate for this defect)
4. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 5% of tests (4.87x the national rate for this defect)
5. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 4.6% of tests (4.51x the national rate for this defect)
6. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 7.9% of tests (3.35x the national rate for this defect)
7. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 3.5% of tests (2.72x the national rate for this defect)
8. Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 3.5% of tests (2.58x the national rate for this defect)
9. A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED, 3.1% of tests (2.53x the national rate for this defect)
10. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 4.1% of tests (2.13x the national rate for this defect)

From 14,537 DVSA-tracked Nissan Almera tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 4.03% of these flagged Nissan Almera defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Nissan Almera

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 Nissan Almera before it actually fails on it.

1. 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, 10.7% of tests (7.03x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
2. Product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity or changes emitted colour to other than white or yellow, 6.8% of tests (6.11x the national rate for this advisory)
3. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 10.7% of tests (5.37x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
4. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 6% of tests (4.85x the national rate for this advisory)
5. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 8.2% of tests (3.11x the national rate for this advisory)
6. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 8.4% of tests (2.95x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
7. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 14.3% of tests (2.76x the national rate for this advisory)
8. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 11.1% of tests (2x the national rate for this advisory)
9. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 9% of tests (1.9x the national rate for this advisory)
10. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 11.5% of tests (1.85x the national rate for this advisory)

From 14,537 DVSA-tracked Nissan Almera tests, 2024.

Nissan Almera pass rate by model year

From its 2001 to its 2006 model year, the Nissan Almera's first-time pass rate has fallen 4.3 points, from 68.5% to 64.2%, an unusual pattern where even its newest years fail more than its oldest. First-time pass rate for each Nissan Almera year:

• 2000 Nissan Almera - 63.4% first-time pass, 268 tests
• 2001 Nissan Almera - 68.5% first-time pass, 672 tests
• 2002 Nissan Almera - 63.4% first-time pass, 1,676 tests
• 2003 Nissan Almera - 66.1% first-time pass, 1,974 tests
• 2004 Nissan Almera - 65.5% first-time pass, 3,557 tests
• 2005 Nissan Almera - 63.5% first-time pass, 4,544 tests
• 2006 Nissan Almera - 64.2% first-time pass, 1,290 tests

Nissan Almera by fuel type

Diesel and petrol versions of the same car fail on different things, so the fuel type moves the number.

• Petrol Nissan Almera - 64.6% first-time pass, 14,161 tests
• Diesel Nissan Almera - 63.1% first-time pass, 287 tests

Other Nissan models

• Nissan Qashqai - 72.7%
• Nissan Juke - 71.8%
• Nissan Micra - 71.7%
• Nissan Note - 72.1%
• Nissan X-Trail - 73.5%
• Nissan Navara - 72.9%
• Nissan Leaf - 83.1%
• Nissan Nv200 - 65.1%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Peugeot Bipper - 64.3%
• Daihatsu Terios - 64.3%
• Mitsubishi Colt - 64.2%
• Mitsubishi Delica - 64%
• Toyota Previa - 63.8%
• Nissan Primera - 63.8%

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 Nissan Almera? Embed the real DVSA pass-rate badge free, linked back to this page.

<a href="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/mot/nissan-almera"><img src="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/badge/nissan-almera.svg" width="340" height="92" alt="Nissan Almera MOT Pass Rate: 64.1% - Salvage Prophet"></a>

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

<a href="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/mot/nissan-almera"><img src="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/badge/failure/nissan-almera.svg" width="340" height="106" alt="Nissan Almera most common MOT failure: An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction (3.1% of tests) - Salvage Prophet"></a>

All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate