Nissan Kubistar

Registered from 2003 to 2009.

What fails its inspection

Great Britain's MOT record for the 2005 1.5 diesel. 110 of 351 tests failed, 31%.

Better than 21% of 2005 cars. The typical one fails 27%, across 837 models with enough tests behind them to say.

Where	Share of failures	Failed tests
Lights and electrics	45%	50
Suspension	43%	47
Brakes	31%	34
Body and structure	30%	33
Steering	25%	28
Tyres and wheels	25%	27

The defects inspectors cite

A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play

Where it stands out against its peers

Steering: failed more often than 96% of 2005 cars — 25% of its 110 failed tests, where an ordinary 2005 car has 5%.

Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.

NHTSA's investigations are American; no European regulator publishes an equivalent record, so this section has nothing to draw on for a European car. There is no European equivalent of the service-bulletin register either.

Before you buy one

Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.

Suspension — 43% of its failures
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
- A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
Brakes — 31% of its failures
Steering — 25% of its failures
- A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play
- Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
Tyres and wheels — 25% of its failures
Lights and electrics — 45% of its failures
- An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction
- A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps
Body and structure — 30% of its failures

When it starts failing

At 140–160k miles this one fails 32% of its inspections, against the 30% an ordinary car of the same age fails.

Odometer	Rate	Its age	Tests
60–80k miles	24%	26%	42
80–100k miles	37%	28%	38
100–120k miles	26%	29%	54
120–140k miles	28%	30%	72
140–160k miles	32%	30%	56

262 British inspections, grouped by the odometer reading recorded at the test.

Half of these have more than 100k miles on them. That is how far people drive this car, not how long it lasts.