Japan's business-class MPV with a UK cult following
The Nissan Elgrand is a Japanese-market luxury MPV that has built a cult following in the UK as a grey import. It offers business-class levels of comfort in a vehicle that doubles as a spacious people carrier or campervan conversion base. It competes with nothing directly in the UK market — it is essentially a Japanese alternative to the Mercedes V-Class but with more luxury features, captain's chairs, and Japanese reliability, all at a fraction of the price.
We track 5 known issues across the Nissan Elgrand range, including 1 rated as safety-critical. Knowing which variants and configurations to approach with caution can save you from expensive surprises after purchase.
Found a Nissan Elgrand? Enter the reg to see which of our 5 known issues apply to that exact car, plus full MOT history and mileage checks.
E50 (1997–2002) — Petrol options included the 2.5L VQ25DE, 3.5L VQ35DE, with 3.2L QD32ETi, 3.3L ZD30DDTi on the diesel side. Our database flags 4 known issues on this generation, 1 of which are rated as safety-critical. The most significant concern is Structural corrosion in suspension mounting areas (£3,000–£6,000 to address).
E51 (2002–2010) — Engine options included the 2.5L QR25DE, 3.5L VQ35DE. We track 4 known issues on this generation, with 2 classified as significant. The most significant concern is Steering rack gaiter deterioration and failure (£150–£250 to address).
E52 (2010–2024) — Engine options included the 2.5L QR25DE, 3.5L VQ35DE. We track 3 known issues on this generation, with 1 classified as significant. The most significant concern is Power steering system leaks and malfunction (£300–£600 to address).
The E50 Elgrand suffers from severe structural corrosion around suspension and subframe mounting points, particularly affecting diesel variants. The load-bearing structure within 30cm of suspension mountings corrodes from inside-out due to poor rustproofing and moisture ingress through underbody seams. This is a structural integrity failure that can cause suspension detachment and loss of vehicle control. Later generations have improved corrosion protection.
Complete structural failure around suspension mountings can cause wheel detachment or suspension collapse while driving. Repair requires extensive welding or replacement of structural sections costing £3,000-£8,000. Many affected vehicles are written off as beyond economical repair. Do not drive if structural corrosion is suspected.
Inspect the wheel arches, sills, jacking points and door bottoms carefully. Press gently on sills to check for soft spots. Look underneath for corrosion on structural components. Check the MOT history for corrosion-related advisories or failures.
The steering rack gaiters (rubber boots protecting the steering rack) deteriorate at exceptionally high rates on Elgrand models, allowing dirt and moisture to enter the steering rack mechanism. This causes accelerated wear of the rack internals and eventual steering failure. The problem affects both petrol and diesel variants but is most severe on diesel models due to additional engine vibration and heat cycling.
Failed gaiters lead to steering rack contamination and internal wear. Complete steering rack failure can cause loss of steering control. Steering rack replacement costs £800-£1,500 plus labour. Early gaiter replacement costs under £200 and prevents rack damage.
During the test drive, check the steering for excessive play, vibration or pulling to one side. Listen for groaning or whining when turning the wheel at low speed. Power steering fluid level and condition should be checked on hydraulic systems.
The power steering system experiences high failure rates due to the Elgrand's heavy weight and complex hydraulic setup. Common issues include power steering pump failure, high-pressure line leaks, and rack seal deterioration. The system operates under high stress due to the vehicle's weight, leading to premature component wear and fluid leaks that can cause complete power steering loss.
Power steering failure makes the vehicle extremely difficult to control, especially during parking and low-speed manoeuvres due to the Elgrand's weight. Power steering pump replacement costs £400-£800, rack replacement £800-£1,500. Continued driving with low fluid can damage multiple system components.
During the test drive, check the steering for excessive play, vibration or pulling to one side. Listen for groaning or whining when turning the wheel at low speed. Power steering fluid level and condition should be checked on hydraulic systems.
Suspension joint dust covers (protective rubber boots on ball joints and suspension bushes) deteriorate rapidly on Elgrand models due to the vehicle's weight and poor quality rubber compounds. Failed dust covers allow dirt and moisture into suspension joints causing accelerated wear and eventual joint failure. This is a widespread issue affecting both front and rear suspension components across all generations.
Failed dust covers lead to contamination and accelerated wear of expensive suspension joints. Ball joint or control arm replacement typically costs £200-£500 per side. Early dust cover replacement costs £50-£150 and prevents joint damage.
Listen for knocking, clunking or rattling over bumps during the test drive. Inspect the underside for corroded or cracked suspension components. Check the MOT history for suspension-related advisories, which often predict future failures.
The 3.5L VQ35DE engine in E51 and E52 generations experiences emissions system deterioration at high mileage, causing MOT failures for excessive emissions. Common causes include catalytic converter degradation, oxygen sensor failure, and carbon build-up in the intake system. The issue is exacerbated by the engine's relatively high fuel consumption and the stop-start driving patterns typical of MPV usage.
Emissions failures prevent MOT pass and legal road use. Catalytic converter replacement costs £800-£1,500 depending on location and type. Oxygen sensor replacement costs £150-£300. Carbon cleaning services cost £200-£400 and may restore emissions compliance without parts replacement.
Check for any engine warning lights on the dashboard. Ask about the car's MOT emissions history — repeated failures suggest underlying issues. A pre-purchase diagnostic scan is especially worthwhile to check for stored emissions fault codes.
For the full breakdown of all 5 tracked issues with repair costs, see the Nissan Elgrand common problems page.
Based on 65k real DVSA MOT tests, the Nissan Elgrand fails more often than average on several items. The biggest outlier is front or rear fog lamp switch inoperative or no... at 463x the fleet average, followed by obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or... (277x).
When viewing a specific car, check its MOT history for recurring advisories in these categories. See the full Nissan Elgrand MOT failure breakdown for data at every mileage point.
Routine servicing (oil and filter change every 6k miles) typically costs £80–£120 at an independent garage.
See the full Nissan Elgrand service schedule for every interval and cost breakdown.
The Nissan Elgrand has some well-documented weak points, including 1 safety-critical issue that demand careful checking. The right example, properly maintained, can still be a sound purchase — but cutting corners on the pre-purchase inspection is not advisable. The E51 generation from 2006 onwards is the sweet spot — these are ULEZ compliant, benefit from accumulated refinements, and avoid the E50's brake and reliability issues. The 2008+ models offered a smaller 2.5-litre engine option alongside the 3.5 V6 with updated cosmetics. For maximum luxury, the E52 (2010+) is the ultimate choice but commands higher prices. Avoid pre-2002 E50 models due to brake and build quality concerns.
Before committing, check the car's full MOT history, verify the service record is complete, and if possible arrange a specialist inspection. Enter any registration into our free report to see the complete picture.
Get Car Wise maintains a database of known mechanical issues for every popular car on UK roads, tracking the faults that owners, specialists and DVSA data reveal.
When you run a report on a specific Nissan Elgrand, we cross-reference the exact variant, engine and age against our database of 5 known issues. Combined with full MOT history analysis, mileage verification and DVLA data, you get a complete picture before viewing.
Enter the registration for MOT history, mileage verification, known faults for that exact variant, and a Get Car Wise Score.
This guide was compiled from independent expert reviews, DVSA MOT data, specialist workshops and our own database of 5 known Nissan Elgrand issues. We are not affiliated with any source listed.