Does the Nissan 300ZX fail the MOT on steering more than it should?
The Nissan 300ZX records 8.16 steering failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 7.08 expected for a car of the same age mix: more than expected for its class and age (+1.08, 95% interval +0.13 to +2.02). It ranks 155 of 640 models on steering (1 = most failures above expected).
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · all models on steering · check a Nissan 300ZX by registration
What exactly fails on steering?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Nissan 300ZX is “Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc”, recorded 102 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 102 | 2.90 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated | 96 | 2.73 |
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 30 | 0.85 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 3,518 (initial tests) · Method: failure items (major and minor) grouped by DVSA's defect tree; wordings with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
Other pages for this model
Nissan 300ZX by postcode area · Nissan 300ZX body, chassis and structure failures · Nissan 300ZX brakes failures · Nissan 300ZX vehicle identification failures · Nissan 300ZX lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Nissan 300ZX noise, emissions and leaks failures · Nissan 300ZX seat belts and airbags failures · Nissan 300ZX suspension failures · Nissan 300ZX tyres failures · Nissan 300ZX visibility failures