Bentley Brooklands MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 30 model years and 2,390 tests, the Bentley Brooklands passes its MOT 87.6% of the time. All cars of a similar age fail 24.7% of the time, so this is 12.3pp 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 (7.0%) and lighting & signalling (5.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are rbt (sp), position lamp and headlamp aim — rbt (sp) alone was recorded 108 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 11.1% versus 4.8%.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 17.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every Brooklands model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 50 | 76.0% | 24.0% | Brakes |
| 1993 | 217 | 86.2% | 13.8% | Brakes |
| 1994 | 285 | 84.9% | 15.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1995 | 261 | 87.0% | 13.0% | Brakes |
| 1996 | 494 | 85.6% | 14.4% | Brakes |
| 1997 | 387 | 88.4% | 11.6% | Brakes |
| 1998 | 301 | 88.7% | 11.3% | Brakes |
| 2008 | 202 | 97.0% | 3.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 116 | 92.2% | 7.8% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 7.0% | 166 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.4% | 130 |
| 3 | Suspension | 4.5% | 108 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.6% | 62 |
| 5 | Tyres | 2.0% | 48 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.5% | 35 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 1.1% | 27 |
| 8 | Steering | 1.0% | 23 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rbt (sp) | 108 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 44 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 41 |
| 4 | Wipers | 39 |
| 5 | Coil spring | 36 |
| 6 | Washers | 36 |
| 7 | Headlamp | 34 |
| 8 | Rigid brake pipes | 28 |
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 | 17.1% | 408 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 12.8% | 305 |
| 3 | Brakes | 12.4% | 296 |
| 4 | Tyres | 12.2% | 292 |
| 5 | Steering | 7.2% | 173 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 3.0% | 73 |
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 | 415 | 4.8% |
| 30-60k | 692 | 11.4% |
| 60-90k | 750 | 15.2% |
| 90-120k | 344 | 17.7% |
| 120-150k | 149 | 12.8% |
| 150k+ | 36 | 11.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 521 | 13.1% |
| 2022 | 487 | 12.1% |
| 2023 | 492 | 12.4% |
| 2024 | 459 | 12.2% |
| 2025 | 431 | 12.3% |
What to check before buying a Bentley Brooklands
- Brakes (7.0% 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 (5.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (4.5% 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 Brooklands?
87.6% of the 2,390 Bentley Brooklands MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 12.4% fail rate, across model years 1989–2018.
What does the Bentley Brooklands most often fail its MOT on?
Brakes, recorded in 7.0% of tests, then lighting & signalling (5.4%).
How much does mileage affect Brooklands MOT results?
Fail rates run at 4.8% for cars in the 0-30k band and 11.1% for 150k+, a 6.3-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,390 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.