2004 Bentley Continental — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 6,137 MOT tests, the 2004 Bentley Continental recorded an 88.8% pass rate. Coupes & convertibles of a similar age fail 22.5% of the time, so this is 11.3pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in emissions & environmental, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — emissions & environmental (5.5%) and lighting & signalling (3.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, malfunction indicator lamp and pins and bushes — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 216 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 8.1% in the 0-30k band and 14.3% in the 150k+ band, a 6.2-point spread.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 14.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emissions & environmental | 5.5% | 338 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 3.2% | 199 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.6% | 161 |
| 4 | Tyres | 2.4% | 149 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.8% | 109 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.6% | 96 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 216 |
| 2 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 207 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 104 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 84 |
| 5 | Joints | 79 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 53 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 14.0% | 860 |
| 2 | Brakes | 13.8% | 844 |
| 3 | Suspension | 8.1% | 497 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 5.1% | 311 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.1% | 188 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.9% | 176 |
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 | 433 | 8.1% |
| 30-60k | 1,912 | 8.6% |
| 60-90k | 2,516 | 12.2% |
| 90-120k | 968 | 13.7% |
| 120-150k | 251 | 14.3% |
| 150k+ | 42 | 14.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,352 | 11.0% |
| 2022 | 1,319 | 12.0% |
| 2023 | 1,234 | 10.7% |
| 2024 | 1,134 | 10.2% |
| 2025 | 1,098 | 11.9% |
What to check before buying a 2004 Continental
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: emissions & environmental accounted for 5.5% of tests. Start there.
- Emissions & environmental (5.5% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Lighting & signalling (3.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (2.6% 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.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2004 Bentley Continentals pass their MOT?
88.8% of the 6,137 2004 Bentley Continental MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2004 Bentley Continental?
Emissions & environmental, recorded in 5.5% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (3.2%).
Does the 2004 Continental get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.1% in the 0-30k band to 14.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,137 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.