The picture
Leaf: above-average pass rates, with caveats
Across 41,664 MOT tests, the Leaf returns 83.3% first-time pass — above the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is worn suspension bushes. A defective wiper blade and tyre tread under the limit round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 44,606, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
Top ten reasons for rejection.
- 01
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
1,589 occurrences · 3.8% of tests
- 02
Wiper blade defective
1,020 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
- 03
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
996 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
- 04
A tyre seriously damaged
657 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
- 05
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
611 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
- 06
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
586 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
- 07
A tyre cords visible or damaged
488 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
- 08
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
357 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 09
Parking brake inoperative on one side
339 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 10
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
332 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 4 failures
£180–£425
If every one of this Leaf's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Build your own retest budget.
Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades
Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
Buying or keeping a Leaf?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a Leaf and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.