Nissan Primera 2003: MOT failure rate for its age
47.4% of 5,170 MOT tests of the Nissan Primera first registered in 2003 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 98.4 (95% CI 94.5–102.3; 100 = normal for this model at that age): the 2003 build year is no different from other years of the same model at the same age.
| Measure | Value | Unit | Compared with | Years | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failed first time | 47.4 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 5170 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 94.5–102.3) | 98.4 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 5170 |
| Rank among this model's 9 build years | 7 | of 9 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 5170 |
| Tested in 2024 | 396 | tests | median 92,163 miles | 2024 | 396 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2003 Nissan Primera fail at each age?
Cars built in 2003 were tested at ages 16 to 21 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 1,870 | 49.7 | 47.5–52 | 52.3 | 95.2 |
| 17 | 1,234 | 46.5 | 43.7–49.3 | 46.6 | 99.8 |
| 18 | 890 | 46.6 | 43.4–49.9 | 46.7 | 99.9 |
| 19 | 667 | 44.7 | 40.9–48.5 | 43.9 | 101.9 |
| 20 | 509 | 45.6 | 41.3–49.9 | 45 | 101.3 |
| 21 | 396 (rough estimate) | 46 | 41.1–50.9 | 43.2 | 106.4 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 5,566 (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 2003 Nissan Primera?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2003 is lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 67 items per 100 first tests, against 54.3 across all build years of the Nissan Primera. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2003 were tested at ages 16 to 21.
| Failure group | Built 2003, per 100 | All build years, per 100 | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 67 | 54.3 | 3,729 |
| Brakes | 31.7 | 27.6 | 1,762 |
| Suspension | 21.5 | 23.6 | 1,195 |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 14.8 | 11.1 | 823 |
| Visibility | 12.5 | 12.3 | 695 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 5,566 (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 2003 compare with the years around it?
Among the 9 published build years of the Nissan Primera, 2003 ranks 7 (1 = fails least for its age). 2002: index 101.6. 2004: index 96.8.
| Build year | Index (100 = normal) | 95% interval | Verdict | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 96.0 | 87.8–104.1 | no different (rough estimate) | 1,174 |
| 1999 | 94.4 | 87.8–100.9 | no different (rough estimate) | 1,787 |
| 2000 | 99.9 | 91.4–108.4 | no different (rough estimate) | 1,136 |
| 2001 | 93.9 | 87.8–99.9 | better (rough estimate) | 2,071 |
| 2002 | 101.6 | 97.2–106.0 | no different | 4,284 |
| 2003 | 98.4 | 94.5–102.3 | no different | 5,170 |
| 2004 | 96.8 | 93.4–100.2 | no different | 6,676 |
| 2005 | 98.1 | 95.1–101.0 | no different | 8,875 |
| 2006 | 95.6 | 92.0–99.1 | better | 5,884 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 37,057 (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 Primera 2003 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-primera/2003/
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 Primera 1998 · Nissan Primera 1999 · Nissan Primera 2000 · Nissan Primera 2001 · Nissan Primera 2002 · Nissan Primera 2004 · Nissan Primera 2005 · Nissan Primera 2006 · Nissan Primera in Norway · Nissan Primera in Finland · Nissan Primera in the Netherlands · Nissan Primera by postcode area · Nissan Primera body, chassis and structure failures · Nissan Primera brakes failures · Nissan Primera vehicle identification failures · Nissan Primera lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Nissan Primera noise, emissions and leaks failures · Nissan Primera road wheels failures · Nissan Primera seat belts and airbags failures · Nissan Primera steering failures · Nissan Primera suspension failures · Nissan Primera tyres failures · Nissan Primera visibility failures