2010 Nissan Qashqai 1.5L Diesel · SW10 UOX

The Qashqai's MOT narrative is dominated by a serious failure on 11 February 2026, the same day it was also recorded as a pass, suggesting a same-day retest after the defects were rectified. The failure catalogue is severe: a fractured offside front coil spring, a suspension arm ball joint deemed likely to become detached, and a missing exhaust heat shield categorised as a fire risk. These are not borderline advisories but categorised Dangerous and Major defects affecting primary safety systems. Layered beneath this are advisories on a corroded offside rear brake pipe and a nearside front tyre worn to its legal limit, indicating that the front suspension and brake pipework were already under strain prior to the most recent test. The 2025 and 2024 tests passed without advisories, but this apparent stability is contradicted by both the 2022 and 2026 entries, which together point to recurring front suspension wear and emerging brake pipe corrosion. At 168,843 miles across roughly sixteen years, the annual accumulation rate of around 10,553 miles is broadly typical for the age and platform, neither unusually low nor high. The MOT record shows no multi-year gaps in testing, indicating continuous use rather than long periods of standing. This continuous usage profile at moderate mileage is consistent with general commuter or family duties, but it does mean the cumulative wear on suspension, drivetrain, and brake components is in line with what one would expect from a high-mileage Nissan of this vintage. The repeated advisories across multiple test cycles, particularly on suspension arms, anti-roll bar linkages, and brake discs, suggest that consumable chassis components have been reaching the end of their service life in clusters, which is characteristic of a vehicle no longer in the early phase of its life curve. For a prospective buyer, the front-end suspension is the clear priority area. The history flags nearside and offside ball joint play on the front suspension arms in 2022, an offside front track rod end ball joint with slight play in 2021, and ultimately a fractured coil spring and a ball joint likely to become detached in 2026. On a test drive, listen for clonks or knocks from the front end over speed humps and uneven road surfaces, and feel for any vagueness or delay in the steering response, particularly under load. The vehicle should sit level at the front when unladen, as a fractured or sagging coil spring will often produce a visible ride-height discrepancy. Inspect the offside rear brake pipe, which was noted as corroded and covered in grease; this is a corrosion hotspot on older Qashqais and should be physically examined for surface rust, flaking, or any sign of active weeping along its length, particularly along the underbody run. The rear brake discs were flagged as pitted and scored across multiple tests, so on the road expect any judder through the brake pedal under firm application to suggest the discs have worn beyond a simple pad refresh. Beyond the suspension and braking items, the 2023 test recorded severely deteriorated CV joint boots on both front drive shafts, which if not replaced promptly would lead to grease loss and eventual joint failure, manifesting as a clicking or knocking noise on full lock turns. The exhaust system has also appeared twice in the record, with a minor gas leak noted in 2022 and a missing heat shield in 2026, so a thorough check underneath for blow spots, hangers, and shield integrity is worthwhile. The offside front tyre was worn to its legal limit and on its edge in both 2022 and 2026, which could indicate a camber or tracking issue persisting from the suspension wear. Finally, the registration plate lamp faults across multiple years suggest a minor but recurring electrical gremlin worth confirming is fully functional on both lamps before purchase.