2,834 tests in 2025
Nissan Serena reliability and MOT pass rate
80% passed first time. The 20% fail rate is 2.6 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 12 years old with 77,886 miles.
Pass rate
80%
22.6% of all cars failed; 20% of these did.
Fixed on the day
5.7%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
77,886 mi
12 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 163 | — |
| 6-9 years | 504 | 15.9% |
| 10-13 years | 1,084 | 16% |
| 14+ years | 1,071 | 25.8% |
What the Serena fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment2 dangerous56.8%
- Suspension13 dangerous27.7%
- Brakes92 dangerous25%
- Tyres140 dangerous21.2%
- Visibility17.8%
- Steering4 dangerous14.6%
- Body, chassis, structure7 dangerous11.1%
- Noise, emissions and leaks6.5%
Is the Serena getting worse?
The fail rate fell 2.1 points to 20% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 1 year. Ageing alone would predict about 2.2 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1,749 | 11 | 22.1% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 2,102 | 11 | 20.3% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 2,227 | 12 | 19.7% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 2,824 | 12 | 20% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Serena at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a Serena in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Rear fog lamp: not working74 tests
- 2Position lamp: not working69 tests
- 3Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick65 tests
- 4Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively54 tests
- 5Rear fog lamp: does not emit a steady red light49 tests
- 6Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm48 tests
- 7Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect43 tests
- 8Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn41 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Serena collects 2.78 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm339 tests
- 2Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick304 tests
- 3Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn239 tests
- 4Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened230 tests
- 5Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure174 tests
- 6Non-component advisories: Play in steering rack inner joint(s)125 tests
- 7Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play124 tests
- 8Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine112 tests
Questions
What is the Nissan Serena MOT pass rate?
80% of the 2,834 Nissan Serena first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 20% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 5.7% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Nissan Serena usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Rear fog lamp: not working", recorded on 74 failed tests, followed by "Position lamp: not working" and "Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick". By section, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 56.8% of failures, suspension appears in 27.7% of failures, brakes appears in 25% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 23.3%; at 14+ years it was 25.8%. The median Nissan Serena tested in 2025 was 12 years old with 77,886 miles.
Is the Nissan Serena getting less reliable?
The fail rate fell 2.1 points to 20% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 1 year. Ageing alone would predict about 2.2 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every Serena trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
Other Nissan models
Checking a particular Serena?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.