Nissan Serena: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Nissan Serena passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 3.4 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 2,563 individual Nissan Serena tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 80.1% first-time pass rate means roughly 20 in every 100 Nissan Serenas presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is better than average, so a well-kept example is a reasonably safe used buy. The average Nissan Serena tested had covered 84,980 miles and was built around 2012.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Nissan Serena sits 3.4 points above the national average, ranked 1,440 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, the mechanical side is less likely to spring surprises, so your repair estimate should hold up reasonably well.

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 Serena 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 Serenas at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Nissan Serena

1. Front or rear fog lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 1.6% of tests (36.21x the national rate for this defect)
2. An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 4.5% of tests (10.24x 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, 2.1% of tests (2.79x the national rate for this defect)
4. An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction, 1% of tests (2.36x the national rate for this defect)
5. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 1.9% of tests (1.47x the national rate for this defect)
6. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 3% of tests (1.4x the national rate for this defect)
7. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 3% of tests (1.28x 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, 2.6% of tests (1.18x the national rate for this defect)
9. 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, 1.1% of tests (1.16x the national rate for this defect)
10. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 5.1% of tests

From 2,553 DVSA-tracked Nissan Serena tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 4.82% of these flagged Nissan Serena defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Nissan Serena

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 Serena before it actually fails on it.

1. A stub axle swivel pin and/or bush excessively worn, 4.2% of tests (6.6x the national rate for this advisory)
2. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 4.6% of tests (3.47x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
3. Product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity or changes emitted colour to other than white or yellow, 3.1% of tests (2.83x the national rate for this advisory)
4. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 14.5% of tests (1.55x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
5. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 16.2% of tests (1.21x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
6. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 23.1% of tests
7. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 11.6% of tests
8. A tyre seriously damaged, 10.2% of tests
9. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 4.2% of tests
10. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 3.1% of tests

From 2,553 DVSA-tracked Nissan Serena tests, 2024.

Nissan Serena pass rate by model year

Pass rates fall steadily as cars age, so the model year matters as much as the model. First-time pass rate for each Nissan Serena year:

• 2009 Nissan Serena - 80.1% first-time pass, 206 tests
• 2010 Nissan Serena - 78% first-time pass, 273 tests
• 2012 Nissan Serena - 82.9% first-time pass, 257 tests
• 2013 Nissan Serena - 91.9% first-time pass, 357 tests

Nissan Serena by fuel type

The Nissan Serena's two most-tested fuel types split by 9.5 points: petrol passes first time 78.5% of the time (1,802 tests) against 88% for hybrid (686 tests).

• Petrol Nissan Serena - 78.5% first-time pass, 1,802 tests
• Hybrid Nissan Serena - 88% first-time pass, 686 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

• Tesla Model X - 80.2%
• Citroen Berlingo Multispace - 80.2%
• MG 3 - 80.1%
• Skoda Superb - 80%
• BMW Z4 - 80%
• Lexus Is250 - 80%

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?

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate