2004 Nissan Elgrand 3.5L Petrol · AT53 MYJ

The Nissan Elgrand currently holds a valid MOT issued on 13 April 2026 at 236,774 miles, but the maintenance trend is mixed rather than reassuring. The most recent test passed with three active advisories: offside rear brake pads wearing thin and both the offside rear and nearside front service brakes binding, albeit not excessively. These are not new problems. The failed test just four days earlier on 9 April 2026 at the same recorded mileage flagged the same two binding brake advisories alongside more serious defects including a fractured offside rear coil spring, an excessively worn offside front suspension arm ball joint, and an illuminated ABS warning lamp. The coil spring fracture and ABS fault were rectified between the two tests, which suggests the previous owner addressed immediate failures but left the recurring brake issues unresolved. A binding caliper on each side of the vehicle persisting across consecutive tests points to a chronic hydraulic or mechanical fault that demands proper diagnosis rather than repeated patching. The mileage accumulation is broadly consistent with the vehicle's age. At roughly 22 years old with 236,774 miles, the annual average sits close to 10,762 miles, which is typical for a large MPV used for family or long-distance travel. The record shows approximately 7,835 miles covered between March 2025 and April 2026, and roughly 8,693 miles between April 2024 and March 2025. There are no alarming gaps or sudden jumps in the odometer readings that would suggest clocking or prolonged periods of disuse. The annual test pattern itself is consistent, with springtime tests in 2024, 2025, and 2026, indicating the vehicle has been kept in regular use. A buyer should focus their physical inspection on the front and rear suspension components, given the fractured offside rear coil spring and the excessively worn front suspension arm ball joint that appeared in the April 2026 failure. Even though these were replaced to obtain the pass, the root cause of a coil spring fracture at this mileage warrants checking the opposite side rear spring for cracking or sag, along with all front lower ball joints and anti-roll bar linkages. The recurring binding brakes on both nearside front and offside rear calipers are a red flag. A thorough road test should confirm that the vehicle does not pull to one side under braking and that the handbrake releases fully. Inspect the brake discs and pads for uneven wear patterns consistent with a sticking caliper, and check the condition of the flexible brake hoses, as a collapsed hose is a common cause of caliper bind. The ABS fault that triggered the earlier failure should also be verified as permanently resolved by checking for stored fault codes rather than relying solely on the current warning lamp being extinguished.