2007 Nissan Elgrand 2.5L Petrol · FB57 YLC

The Nissan Elgrand holds a valid MOT certificate issued on 8 January 2026 at 187,006 miles, but the maintenance trend is clearly worsening. The vehicle failed its preceding test on 5 January 2026 at 186,485 miles with multiple brake and steering defects, then passed just three days later after remedial work. That pass is recent relative to today's date of 18 June 2026, yet the tester still flagged front brake discs corroded on the inner face and play in the nearside front steering rack inner joint. These are not fresh advisories. The same steering rack defect appeared in the January 2026 failure, meaning the joint was identified, the car was retested, and the issue was either not fully rectified or was left as an advisory. A pass with known steering play at this mileage raises questions about whether the rack end or inner joint was simply noted rather than replaced. The mileage accumulation tells a coherent story. Between the December 2022 test at 139,704 miles and the December 2023 test at 153,167 miles, the vehicle covered 13,463 miles in twelve months. That rose to 15,205 miles between December 2023 and January 2026, averaging roughly 7,000 miles per year over the full span. The jump from 168,372 miles in January 2025 to 186,485 miles by January 2026 represents 18,113 miles in a single year, a notable spike that suggests heavier use or long-distance driving in the most recent period. The MOT record itself is sparse, with only five tests spanning from December 2022 to January 2026, and the gap between January 2025 and January 2026 is the longest interval without an earlier test to confirm consistent annual coverage. No test exists between 2016 and 2022, so the full service and maintenance picture remains incomplete. A buyer should focus the physical inspection on three areas. First, the front brake discs show recurring inner-face corrosion across both the January 2026 failure and pass, indicating the discs may have been replaced or skimmed but the underlying condition, possibly caused by pad material selection or poor caliper slide function, has not been resolved. Check disc thickness, lip condition, and caliper operation. Second, the nearside front steering rack inner joint has now been flagged twice in consecutive tests. Have the inner tie rod end and the rack boot inspected for play and deterioration, and confirm whether the rack itself has any axial movement. Third, the December 2022 test flagged deteriorated ball joint dust covers on both front lower suspension arms. At nearly four years old, those covers may have been replaced, but the joints themselves should be checked for play and contamination ingress, particularly given the 47,000 miles covered since that advisory was raised.