Bentley Arnage MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 32 model years and 7,991 tests, the Bentley Arnage passes its MOT 89.3% of the time. All cars of a similar age fail 26.9% of the time, so this is 16.1pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are brakes, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (4.7%) and lighting & signalling (4.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint dust cover, rbt (sp) and headlamp aim — ball joint dust cover alone was recorded 237 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 7.2% in the 0-30k band and 12.1% in the 150k+ band, a 4.9-point spread.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 16.2% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Arnage model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 606 | 86.1% | 13.9% | Suspension |
| 1999 | 750 | 86.0% | 14.0% | Suspension |
| 2000 | 1,136 | 89.9% | 10.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 1,204 | 89.3% | 10.7% | Brakes |
| 2002 | 943 | 88.4% | 11.6% | Brakes |
| 2003 | 725 | 90.1% | 9.9% | Brakes |
| 2004 | 565 | 89.2% | 10.8% | Brakes |
| 2005 | 703 | 90.8% | 9.3% | Brakes |
| 2006 | 456 | 91.7% | 8.3% | Brakes |
| 2007 | 392 | 89.5% | 10.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 277 | 91.7% | 8.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 177 | 92.7% | 7.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 36 | 94.4% | 5.6% | Seat belts & restraints |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 4.7% | 374 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 4.5% | 360 |
| 3 | Suspension | 4.1% | 331 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 2.1% | 169 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.9% | 149 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.7% | 134 |
| 7 | Tyres | 1.5% | 123 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.9% | 74 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball joint dust cover | 237 |
| 2 | Rbt (sp) | 185 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 131 |
| 4 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 112 |
| 5 | Wipers | 111 |
| 6 | Rigid brake pipes | 111 |
| 7 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 109 |
| 8 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 84 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 16.2% | 1,298 |
| 2 | Brakes | 13.7% | 1,097 |
| 3 | Tyres | 10.9% | 874 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 5.3% | 423 |
| 5 | Steering | 3.5% | 280 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 3.4% | 268 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 1,160 | 7.2% |
| 30-60k | 3,196 | 9.2% |
| 60-90k | 2,529 | 12.4% |
| 90-120k | 829 | 14.7% |
| 120-150k | 202 | 17.3% |
| 150k+ | 66 | 12.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,710 | 12.2% |
| 2022 | 1,646 | 9.3% |
| 2023 | 1,595 | 10.5% |
| 2024 | 1,542 | 10.6% |
| 2025 | 1,498 | 11.1% |
What to check before buying a Bentley Arnage
- Brakes (4.7% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Lighting & signalling (4.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (4.1% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Bentley Arnage?
89.3% of the 7,991 Bentley Arnage MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 10.7% fail rate, across model years 1990–2021.
What does the Bentley Arnage most often fail its MOT on?
Brakes, recorded in 4.7% of tests, then lighting & signalling (4.5%).
How much does mileage affect Arnage MOT results?
Fail rates run at 7.2% for cars in the 0-30k band and 12.1% for 150k+, a 4.9-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 7,991 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.