Nissan Leaf common problems by mileage
What UK MOT testers flag on the Nissan Leaf at each age and mileage, compared with all cars.
In 37,437 UK MOT tests of the Nissan Leaf in 2023, the problem that most sets it apart from other cars is ball joint (ball joint excessively worn): recorded on 6.8% of tests of 2012–2014 cars at 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km), 14× the rate for all cars of that age and mileage. Other stand-out issues: ball joint (ball joint has slight play) (7.3×); track rod end (ball joint has slight play) (8.1×); track rod end (ball joint has excessive play) (7.4×). The most common reasons a Nissan Leaf fails its MOT are ball joint (ball joint excessively worn); tyres (tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm); wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively).
Last updated: · Source: DVSA anonymised MOT data 2023
What stands out on the Nissan Leaf
Parts that MOT testers flag clearly more often on the Nissan Leaf than on all cars of the same age at the same mileage (at least 1.5× the rate and 3% of tests).
| Issue | Type | First used | Mileage | Share of tests | All cars this age | Ratio | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn | MOT fail | 2012–2014 | 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) | 6.8% | 0.5% | 14× | 809 |
| Ball joint: ball joint has slight play | Advisory | 2014–2016 | 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) | 5.1% | 0.7% | 7.3× | 3,988 |
| Track rod end: ball joint has slight play | Advisory | 2011–2013 | 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) | 6.5% | 0.8% | 8.1× | 721 |
| Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play | MOT fail | 2011–2013 | 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) | 6.7% | 0.9% | 7.4× | 721 |
| Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements | MOT fail | 2014–2016 | 80k–100k mi (129k–161k km) | 4.8% | 0.8% | 6× | 940 |
| Linkage ball joints: ball joint has slight play | Advisory | 2011–2013 | 80k–100k mi (129k–161k km) | 9% | 1.7% | 5.3× | 312 |
| Pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement | Advisory | 2016–2018 | 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) | 7.4% | 2.2% | 3.4× | 4,352 |
| Position lamp: not working | MOT fail | 2014–2016 | 80k–100k mi (129k–161k km) | 6.6% | 2% | 3.3× | 940 |
Nissan Leaf by mileage (2018–2020 cars)
The most-tested first-use years. For each mileage band: how many MOT tests, the most common item, and the item that stands out most against other cars.
| Mileage | Tests | Most common | Stands out |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0k–20k mi (0k–32k km) | 6,023 | Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (7.1%) | Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (7.1%, 2.3×) |
| 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) | 7,534 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (13%) | Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (11%, 1.8×) |
| 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) | 2,642 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (17%) | Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (12%, 1.7×) |
| 60k–80k mi (97k–129k km) | 1,119 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (16%) | — |
| 80k–100k mi (129k–161k km) | 557 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (12%) | — |
Nissan Leaf by first-use year
| First used | Tests | Biggest stand-out issue |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 454 | Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) (6.6×) |
| 2012 | 489 | Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn at 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) (12×) |
| 2013 | 1,273 | Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn at 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) (14×) |
| 2014 | 3,058 | Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn at 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) (11×) |
| 2015 | 4,020 | Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) (10×) |
| 2016 | 4,001 | Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn at 60k–80k mi (97k–129k km) (9.8×) |
| 2017 | 4,975 | Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn at 80k–100k mi (129k–161k km) (8×) |
| 2018 | 5,101 | Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn at 80k–100k mi (129k–161k km) (6.8×) |
| 2019 | 5,246 | Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened at 0k–20k mi (0k–32k km) (2.3×) |
| 2020 | 7,969 | Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened at 0k–20k mi (0k–32k km) (2.3×) |
| 2021 | 714 | Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened at 0k–20k mi (0k–32k km) (2.3×) |
| 2022 | 132 | Nothing stands out |
How these numbers are made
From the DVSA anonymised MOT data for 2023: every normal MOT test of a car in Great Britain, with its mileage and every advisory and failure item. For each first-use year (pooled with the years either side) and 20,000-mile band we count the share of tests where a part was recorded, and compare it with the same share for every car of that age at that mileage. A cell is shown only with 300 or more tests. Advisories are tester notes, not failures. Figures describe UK-market cars; engines and equipment can differ in other countries.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (DVSA anonymised MOT data, 2023).
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the Nissan Leaf?
In 37,437 UK MOT tests of the Nissan Leaf in 2023, the problem that most sets it apart from other cars is ball joint (ball joint excessively worn): recorded on 6.8% of tests of 2012–2014 cars at 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km), 14× the rate for all cars of that age and mileage. Other stand-out issues: ball joint (ball joint has slight play) (7.3×); track rod end (ball joint has slight play) (8.1×); track rod end (ball joint has excessive play) (7.4×). The most common reasons a Nissan Leaf fails its MOT are ball joint (ball joint excessively worn); tyres (tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm); wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively).
Why do Nissan Leafs fail the MOT?
Across 37,437 MOT tests in 2023, the most common failure items on the Nissan Leaf were ball joint (ball joint excessively worn) (8.3% of tests); tyres (tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm) (3.6% of tests); wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively) (2.6% of tests).
At what mileage do Nissan Leaf problems start?
The clearest Nissan Leaf-specific issue, ball joint (ball joint excessively worn), peaks against other cars at 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) on 2012–2014 cars (6.8% of tests vs 0.5% for all cars that age).
Where does this Nissan Leaf data come from?
From the UK government's anonymised MOT test data (DVSA, 2023, Open Government Licence v3.0): 37,437 tests of the Nissan Leaf. VinSnap shows the same numbers for your own car's age and mileage in the app.