At a Glance
The Nissan Cabstar has 70 identified common problems across 4 generations (1968–2014), with the Third Generation (TL0/NT400) being the most affected generation and suspension the most common problem category. Based on 226K MOT tests from DVSA data.
Problems are patterns in the DVSA data that occur significantly more often on a specific model than the UK average — confirmed at 99% statistical confidence. Read our DVSA MOT data methodology →
Below: generation-by-generation comparison of Nissan Cabstar common problems, MOT failure types, and pass-rate data drawn from DVSA records. Click any generation to see fuel- and engine-specific fault patterns, mileage-banded repair guidance, and the most common MOT failures testers record.
MOT Tests & Failures by Generation
Nissan Cabstar generations by MOT tests, failures, and identified problems from DVSA data
Hover over each bar for a full breakdown. Tap any bar to view that generation's problems.
Showing total MOT tests, failures, and known problems per make. Hover over each bar for a full breakdown.
Tell Us About Your Problem
Help other Nissan Cabstar owners — report a problem and we'll add it to the database
Tell Us About Your Problem
Help other Nissan Cabstar owners — report a problem and we'll add it to the database
Looking for a garage to repair your Nissan Cabstar?
Search our directory of 12,000+ UK garages by service and postcode — every garage has verified Google reviews.
Browse Nissan Cabstar Generations
Select a generation to see its specific problems, MOT failures and advisories
First Generation
Most common MOT failure: Brake performance below minimum
Second Generation (F22)
Third Generation (TL0/NT400)
Top issue: Brake performance below minimum
NT400 (Mk4)
Most Common Nissan Cabstar MOT Failures
Every reason Nissan Cabstar vehicles fail their MOT, ranked by frequency. Select an individual year to see only that year’s failures, or stay on ‘All time’ for the combined picture across our 20 years of DVSA data. Scroll inside the table for the full list.
| # | Failure | % of failures |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension joint or bush worn | 10.94% |
| 2 | Wiper blades deteriorated | 7.63% |
| 3 | Windscreen washer not working | 6.48% |
| 4 | Brake performance below minimum | 6.15% |
| 5 | Exhaust system fault | 5.78% |
| 6 | Brake hydraulic component worn | 5.46% |
| 7 | Number plate lamp not working | 4.77% |
| 8 | Stop lamp not working | 4.03% |
| 9 | Tyre tread depth below limit | 3.67% |
| 10 | Tyre condition | 3.07% |
| 11 | Track rod end worn | 3.02% |
| 12 | Front lamp not working | 2.34% |
| 13 | Brake pads or linings worn | 2.28% |
| 14 | Headlamp aim defect | 2.05% |
| 15 | Body corrosion or damage | 1.85% |
| 16 | Suspension mounting corroded | 1.61% |
| 17 | Windscreen damage affecting view | 1.49% |
| 18 | Rear lamp not working | 1.39% |
| 19 | Position lamp not working | 1.32% |
| 20 | Shock absorber worn or leaking | 1.31% |
| 21 | Parking brake condition | 1.20% |
| 22 | Fog lamp not working | 1.15% |
| 23 | Brake disc or drum worn | 1.08% |
| 24 | Chassis condition | 1.07% |
| 25 | Parking brake performance below minimum | 1.04% |
| 26 | Headlamp fault | 0.94% |
| 27 | Indicator fault | 0.89% |
| 28 | Rigid brake pipe corroded or damaged | 0.87% |
| 29 | Horn not working | 0.86% |
| 30 | Seat belt condition | 0.78% |
| 31 | Front suspension joint worn | 0.75% |
| 32 | Vehicle structure corrosion | 0.56% |
| 33 | Front suspension fault | 0.54% |
| 34 | Mirror damaged or missing | 0.54% |
| 35 | Rear fog lamp not working | 0.51% |
| 36 | Compression ignition emissions above threshold | 0.50% |
| 37 | Battery loose or leaking | 0.47% |
| 38 | Wheel bearing worn | 0.43% |
| 39 | Ball joint dust cover split | 0.38% |
| 40 | ABS fault | 0.38% |
| 41 | Spark ignition emissions above threshold | 0.37% |
| 42 | Flexible brake hose damaged | 0.34% |
| 43 | Fuel cap damaged or missing | 0.32% |
| 44 | Brake fluid leak | 0.29% |
| 45 | Brake pedal movement restricted | 0.27% |
| 46 | Tyre size or type not matched | 0.26% |
| 47 | Suspension linkage fault | 0.25% |
| 48 | Airbag warning light on | 0.25% |
| 49 | Drag link end worn | 0.23% |
| 50 | Brake pedal fault | 0.23% |
| 51 | Leaf spring broken or corroded | 0.22% |
| 52 | Rear reflector damaged or missing | 0.22% |
| 53 | Handbrake cable fault | 0.20% |
| 54 | Electrical wiring fault | 0.19% |
| 55 | Brake caliper fault | 0.17% |
| 56 | Brake lever fault | 0.15% |
| 57 | Power steering pipe or hose leaking | 0.15% |
| 58 | Dashboard warning lamp fault | 0.15% |
| 59 | Spring mounting corroded | 0.14% |
| 60 | Electrical switch fault | 0.12% |
| 61 | Bumper damaged or insecure | 0.11% |
| 62 | Load sensing valve fault | 0.10% |
| 63 | Steering box fault | 0.10% |
| 64 | Driver seat fault | 0.10% |
| 65 | Transmission oil leak | 0.10% |
| 66 | Steering rack fault | 0.10% |
| 67 | Headlamp levelling device fault | 0.10% |
| 68 | Towbar fault | 0.10% |
| 69 | Steering operation fault | 0.09% |
| 70 | King pin or swivel pin worn | 0.09% |
| 71 | Anti-roll bar worn or corroded | 0.09% |
| 72 | Outline marker lamp not working | 0.08% |
| 73 | Securing bolts missing or insecure | 0.08% |
| 74 | Step damaged or insecure | 0.08% |
| 75 | Engine oil leak | 0.08% |
| 76 | Brake fluid warning light on | 0.08% |
| 77 | Steering free play excessive | 0.08% |
| 78 | Steering lock fault | 0.08% |
| 79 | Brake cable, rod, lever or linkage fault | 0.07% |
| 80 | Propshaft fault | 0.07% |
| 81 | Body security fault | 0.07% |
| 82 | Subframe mounting corroded | 0.07% |
| 83 | Tyre valve stem damaged | 0.07% |
| 84 | Fuel pipe corroded or damaged | 0.07% |
| 85 | Fuel tank corroded or leaking | 0.07% |
| 86 | Electronic stability control fault | 0.06% |
| 87 | Steering arm worn | 0.06% |
| 88 | Spare wheel fault | 0.06% |
| 89 | Dropside damaged or insecure | 0.06% |
| 90 | Tailgate damaged or insecure | 0.06% |
| 91 | Brake fluid level low or contaminated | 0.05% |
| 92 | Steering intermediate drop arm worn | 0.05% |
| 93 | Reversing lamp not working | 0.05% |
| 94 | Vehicle floor corroded | 0.05% |
| 95 | Exhaust leak | 0.05% |
| 96 | Brake wheel cylinder fault | 0.05% |
| 97 | Anchor bracket corroded | 0.05% |
| 98 | Brake master cylinder or servo mounting fault | 0.04% |
| 99 | Leaf spring eye worn or broken | 0.04% |
| 100 | Exhaust emissions above threshold (non-catalyst) | 0.04% |
| 101 | Leaf spring shackle bracket corroded | 0.03% |
| 102 | Universal joint worn | 0.03% |
| 103 | Passenger seat fault | 0.03% |
| 104 | Rear suspension fault | 0.03% |
| 105 | Suspension arm worn or corroded | 0.03% |
| 106 | Axle beam corroded or cracked | 0.03% |
| 107 | Mirror or camera fault | 0.03% |
| 108 | Fuel hose damaged or leaking | 0.03% |
| 109 | Speedometer fault | 0.03% |
| 110 | Brake air or vacuum system fault | 0.03% |
| 111 | Hydraulic brake cylinder fault | 0.03% |
| 112 | Steering coupling worn | 0.03% |
| 113 | Subframe corrosion or damage | 0.03% |
| 114 | Rear fog lamp warning light fault | 0.02% |
| 115 | Hydraulic fluid leak | 0.02% |
| 116 | Brake valve fault | 0.02% |
| 117 | Driveshaft fault | 0.02% |
| 118 | Cab corrosion or damage | 0.02% |
| 119 | Front passenger door fault | 0.02% |
| 120 | Hinged tailboard damaged or insecure | 0.02% |
| 121 | Main beam warning light fault | 0.02% |
| 122 | Steering column fault | 0.02% |
| 123 | Driver door fault | 0.01% |
| 124 | Power steering pump fault | 0.01% |
| 125 | Brake fluid reservoir fault | 0.01% |
| 126 | Engine mounting worn or broken | 0.01% |
| 127 | Steering lock stop fault | 0.01% |
| 128 | Bonded suspension condition | 0.01% |
| 129 | Body strengthening plate corroded | 0.01% |
| 130 | Catalytic converter efficiency low | 0.01% |
| 131 | Driver airbag fault | 0.01% |
| 132 | Handbrake mechanism or mounting fault | 0.01% |
| 133 | Handbrake lever fault | 0.01% |
| 134 | Additional braking device fault | 0.01% |
| 135 | Brake linkage mounting fault | 0.01% |
| 136 | Window damaged or won't operate | 0.01% |
| 137 | Tie bar or rod worn or corroded | 0.01% |
| 138 | Brake pressure or vacuum buildup insufficient | <0.01% |
| 139 | Front fog lamp not working | <0.01% |
| 140 | Stub axle worn | <0.01% |
| 141 | Suspension unit fault | <0.01% |
| 142 | Brake servo fault | <0.01% |
| 143 | Daytime running lamp not working | <0.01% |
| 144 | Steering drive system fault | <0.01% |
| 145 | Steering shaft fault | <0.01% |
| 146 | Steering wheel damaged or insecure | <0.01% |
| 147 | Brake relay lever fault | <0.01% |
| 148 | Dip switch fault | <0.01% |
| 149 | Loading door damaged or insecure | <0.01% |
| 150 | Spring saddle corroded | <0.01% |
| 151 | Suspension linkage attachment bracket or mounting corroded | <0.01% |
| 152 | Suspension retaining or locking device fault | <0.01% |
| 153 | Axle corroded or damaged | <0.01% |
| 154 | Full power hydraulic brake fault | <0.01% |
| 155 | MacPherson strut worn | <0.01% |
| 156 | Leaf spring slipper worn | <0.01% |
| 157 | Brake clevis joint worn | <0.01% |
| 158 | Brake back plate corroded or damaged | <0.01% |
| 159 | Torsion bar worn or corroded | <0.01% |
| 160 | Coil spring broken or corroded | <0.01% |
| 161 | Hazard warning light fault | <0.01% |
| 162 | Electronic braking system fault | <0.01% |
| 163 | Semaphore indicator fault | <0.01% |
| 164 | Access panel damaged or insecure | <0.01% |
| 165 | Brake master cylinder fault | <0.01% |
| 166 | Indicator warning light fault | <0.01% |
| 167 | Bonnet catch or hinge fault | <0.01% |
| 168 | Power steering ram fault | <0.01% |
| 169 | Steering damper fault | <0.01% |
| 170 | Torque or reaction arm worn | <0.01% |
| 171 | Hand-operated brake valve condition | <0.01% |
| 172 | Passenger compartment corrosion | <0.01% |
| 173 | Undertray damaged or missing | <0.01% |
| 174 | Exhaust heat shield or sound insulation damaged | <0.01% |
| 175 | Halfshaft fault | <0.01% |
| 176 | Reversing lamp switch fault | <0.01% |
| 177 | Transmission drive belt fault | <0.01% |
| 178 | Brake pedal linkage fault | <0.01% |
| 179 | Brake slack adjuster fault | <0.01% |
| 180 | Brake stationary pin worn | <0.01% |
| 181 | Electronic parking brake fault | <0.01% |
| 182 | Radius arm worn or corroded | <0.01% |
| 183 | Suspension air bellows damaged | <0.01% |
| 184 | Wheel hub fault | <0.01% |
| 185 | CV joint worn | <0.01% |
| 186 | Panhard rod worn or corroded | <0.01% |
| 187 | Passenger airbag fault | <0.01% |
| 188 | Seat belt anchorage fault | <0.01% |
| 189 | Seat belt load limiter fault | <0.01% |
| 190 | Seat belt pre-tensioner fault | <0.01% |
Showing all 190 reasons — scroll inside the table for the full list.
Nissan Cabstar MOT Failures by Category
Total MOT failure occurrences for the Nissan Cabstar, grouped by category. Same data as the failures table above — just sliced by category instead of fault title. Hover a slice for the top failures in each category.
Join as a car owner — free
Get MOT reminders, a pre-MOT checklist, and tools to compare garages near you.
MOT Reminders
Free email alerts 28 and 7 days before your MOT expires.
44-Point MOT Checklist
Printable checklist to inspect your car before the test.
Save Favourite Garages
Save garages you trust and compare their ratings side by side.
Already a member? Sign in
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common Nissan Cabstar problems?
Based on analysis of 226K Nissan Cabstar MOT tests from DVSA data, we have 70 identified common problems across 4 generations. The most frequently flagged issue is "Brake performance below minimum". Suspension is the most common problem category.
Which Nissan Cabstar generation has the most problems?
The Nissan Cabstar Third Generation (TL0/NT400) (1993–2014) has the highest number of identified common problems (97). Click the generation card above for the full breakdown.
How is this data calculated?
We analyse anonymised DVSA MOT test records under the Open Government Licence. An issue is classified as a "Common Problem" when it occurs significantly more often on a specific model than the UK average, confirmed at 99% statistical confidence. Read the full methodology page for details.
Can I report a problem with my Nissan Cabstar?
Yes — use the "Tell Us About Your Problem" form on this page. Your report helps other Nissan Cabstar owners spot problems early. All submissions are reviewed before being added to the public database.
Search Vehicles With Common Problems
Find common car problems, MOT failures, and advisories for any make and model
