Nissan 350Z 2002: MOT failure rate for its age
35.0% of 314 MOT tests of the Nissan 350Z first registered in 2002 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 109.7 (95% CI 89.2–130.2; 100 = normal for this model at that age): the 2002 build year is no different from other years of the same model at the same age. This is a rough estimate from a smaller sample.
| Measure | Value | Unit | Compared with | Years | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failed first time | 35.0 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 314 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 89.2–130.2) | 109.7 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 314 |
| Rank among this model's 8 build years | 8 | of 8 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 314 |
| Tested in 2024 | 13 | tests | median 87,461 miles | 2024 | 13 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2002 Nissan 350Z fail at each age?
Cars built in 2002 were tested at ages 17 to 18 between 2019 and 2024. Each row compares their first-time failure share with what this model normally shows at that age, after allowing for the overall failure level of each test year.
| Age | Tests | Failed, % | 95% interval | Normal for this model at that age, % | Index (100 = normal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | 175 (rough estimate) | 37.1 | 30.3–44.5 | 32.4 | 114.6 |
| 18 | 139 (rough estimate) | 32.4 | 25.2–40.5 | 31.3 | 103.3 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 314 (initial tests) · Method: normal rate = this model's first-time failure share at that age across its build years (cells of 400+ tests), adjusted for each test year's overall level; cells of 30+ tests, under 500 marked rough · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
What fails most on the 2002 Nissan 350Z?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2002 is lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 40.2 items per 100 first tests, against 19.8 across all build years of the Nissan 350Z. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2002 were tested at ages 17 to 18.
| Failure group | Built 2002, per 100 | All build years, per 100 | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 40.2 | 19.8 | 156 |
| Brakes | 22.7 | 10.1 | 88 |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 15.7 | 12.1 | 61 |
| Suspension | 15.7 | 14.6 | 61 |
| Visibility | 11.1 | 8.5 | 43 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 388 (initial tests of this build year) · Method: failure items grouped by DVSA's top-level defect groups, per 100 initial tests; groups with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How does 2002 compare with the years around it?
Among the 8 published build years of the Nissan 350Z, 2002 ranks 8 (1 = fails least for its age). 2003: index 103.4.
| Build year | Index (100 = normal) | 95% interval | Verdict | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 109.7 | 89.2–130.2 | no different (rough estimate) | 314 |
| 2003 | 103.4 | 96.1–110.8 | no different (rough estimate) | 2,391 |
| 2004 | 104.5 | 100.4–108.5 | worse | 8,101 |
| 2005 | 99.2 | 95.2–103.2 | no different | 7,989 |
| 2006 | 99.2 | 94.4–104.0 | no different | 5,599 |
| 2007 | 93.6 | 88.2–98.9 | better | 4,263 |
| 2008 | 90.1 | 83.3–97.0 | better (rough estimate) | 2,567 |
| 2009 | 75.0 | 64.5–85.6 | better (rough estimate) | 923 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 32,147 (initial tests) · Method: observed failures against those expected for the same model at the same ages, test-year level adjusted; verdict follows the printed one-decimal bound · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How to cite this page
MOT Risk Index (2026). Nissan 350Z 2002 MOT statistics (data release dvsa-2024-v2; full dataset motriskindex-families-2024-v5, DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22975051), updated 30 September 2026. motriskindex.co.uk/cars/nissan-350z/2002/
How every figure is calculated: methodology. Age, test year and build year are tied together (age = test year − build year), so the test-year level is taken as observed, not estimated.
Other pages for this model
Nissan 350Z 2003 · Nissan 350Z 2004 · Nissan 350Z 2005 · Nissan 350Z 2006 · Nissan 350Z 2007 · Nissan 350Z 2008 · Nissan 350Z 2009 · Nissan 350Z in the Netherlands · Nissan 350Z by postcode area · Nissan 350Z body, chassis and structure failures · Nissan 350Z brakes failures · Nissan 350Z vehicle identification failures · Nissan 350Z lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Nissan 350Z noise, emissions and leaks failures · Nissan 350Z road wheels failures · Nissan 350Z seat belts and airbags failures · Nissan 350Z steering failures · Nissan 350Z suspension failures · Nissan 350Z tyres failures · Nissan 350Z visibility failures