Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2009 Nissan Elgrand?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 2009 Nissan Elgrand?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 2009 Nissan Elgrand?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

How many 2009 Nissan Elgrand vehicles have had dangerous defects recorded?

20% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded. Search the registration on CarHunch — the full MOT history will show exactly what was flagged and whether it was resolved.

Is the 2009 Nissan Elgrand reliable?

Based on MOT data from 889 vehicles, the 2009 Nissan Elgrand has a first-time MOT pass rate of 85.2%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2009 Nissan Elgrand?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2009 Nissan Elgrand are: Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (34.5% of vehicles), Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (24.3% of vehicles), Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (23.9% of vehicles). These figures are based on actual MOT test records — search a specific registration on CarHunch to see its individual history.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2009 Nissan Elgrand?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

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Nissan Elgrand (2009)

889 real MOT outcomes analysed • 85.2% first-time pass rate

2009 Nissan Elgrand

CarHunch analysed 889 real MOT records for the 2009 Nissan Elgrand. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
Which year to buy? →

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AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2009 Nissan Elgrand passes its MOT first time at 85%, which is a solid 5 percentage points above the UK average—but the fact that one in five of these vehicles have recorded a dangerous defect at some point is a meaningful concern for buyers and warrants a thorough pre-purchase inspection. With median mileage around 94,000 for a 15-year-old MPV, these are moderately used examples, and the average of 0.86 failures per vehicle suggests structural reliability is generally decent, though the 4.1 advisories per test indicates wear is accumulating across multiple systems. Budget for typical age-related maintenance on suspension, brakes, and trim components, and have any prospective purchase checked thoroughly by a specialist familiar with the Elgrand's cooling and electrical systems, which commonly trigger advisories on this generation.

The 2009 Nissan Elgrand passes its MOT first time at roughly the UK average rate (85.2%) — solid but worth checking this vehicle's history carefully.

⚠️ Over 1 in 5 of these vehicles have had a dangerous MOT failure at some point — usually tyres or brakes, and often a one-off issue rather than a persistent problem. The group stats won't tell you which one you're looking at.

First-time pass

85.2%

UK average ~80%

Around average

Dangerous (ever)

20%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

0.86

Over 4.3 tests on record

Moderate

Typical mileage

94k

Middle half: 74k–119k

For context

✅ Good baseline reliability. A 85.2% first-time pass rate puts this well above the UK average — it's a well-sorted vehicle in this age bracket.

🔧 Expect consumable spend. An average of 4.1 advisories per vehicle tells you wear items (tyres, brakes) get flagged regularly. Budget for them — they're not surprises.

🔍 The dangerous defect figure is real. Most are one-off tyre failures or brake issues — not structural problems. But it's exactly why checking the individual vehicle's history is essential, not optional.

These stats describe 889 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

Average reliability — agree?

What tends to go wrong

Across 889 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Brake wear 34.5%

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened · …

Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.

Tyre wear 24.3%

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · …

Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.

Suspension & steering 7.5%

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play · Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement

Harder to spot without a ramp — this is a good reason to book a pre-purchase inspection.

Lighting 6.6%

Nearside Front Position lamp not working · Rear fog lamp missing

Usually cheap to fix. Worth confirming all lights work before collecting.

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2009.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 889 Nissan Elgrand cars.

Before you buy a 2009 Nissan Elgrand

Based on MOT data from 889 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 20% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection →
📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History Get 20% off via CarHunch

Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type	Vehicles	Pass rate	Avg failures
Petrol (100%)	886	85.2%	0.86

Colour Breakdown

Based on 17,414 Nissan Elgrand vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

White 45.9%

7,999

Black 29.2%

5,086

Silver 12.7%

2,203

Grey 5%

874

Purple 2.2%

382

Gold 2%

347

Blue 0.9%

155

Green 0.7%

122

Beige 0.5%

Maroon 0.4%

Red 0.3%

Brown 0.3%

Mileage Distribution

Most 2009 Nissan Elgrand vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

93,836

typical

73,555

low mileage

118,827

high mileage

Half of all 2009 Nissan Elgrand vehicles fall between 73,555 and 118,827 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 73,555 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.

✓ 73,555–118,827 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2009 Nissan Elgrands sit.

⚠ Over 160,416 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2009 Nissan Elgrand — Still on the Road

Almost all 2009 Nissan Elgrands are still on the road.

Strong survival — 753 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025, 100% of the peak.

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2019–2025.
* The 2020 dip reflects the government's COVID-19 MOT exemption, which allowed certificates to be extended by six months — fewer tests were conducted that year.

MOT History Averages

4.3

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

0.86

Avg failures per vehicle

4.1

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Nissan Elgrand: All Elgrand years → Which year to buy? →

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Compare with another model

See how the 2009 Nissan Elgrand stacks up against a rival.

Average reliability — agree?