2006 Bentley Continental — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2006 Bentley Continental passed 89.9% of its 6,117 recorded MOT tests. Coupes & convertibles of a similar age fail 22.0% of the time, so this is 11.9pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in emissions & environmental, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — emissions & environmental (4.3%) and lighting & signalling (2.8%) 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 headlamp aim — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 176 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 21.7% versus 5.6%.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 13.8% 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 | 4.3% | 263 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.8% | 173 |
| 3 | Tyres | 2.8% | 173 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.5% | 156 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.4% | 87 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.1% | 68 |
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 | 176 |
| 2 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 158 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 93 |
| 4 | Pins and bushes | 85 |
| 5 | Joints | 47 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 47 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 13.8% | 841 |
| 2 | Tyres | 13.2% | 810 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.6% | 341 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 3.8% | 231 |
| 5 | Other defects | 2.4% | 146 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.9% | 117 |
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 | 732 | 5.6% |
| 30-60k | 2,343 | 8.5% |
| 60-90k | 2,119 | 11.9% |
| 90-120k | 753 | 13.2% |
| 120-150k | 122 | 12.3% |
| 150k+ | 46 | 21.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,288 | 9.4% |
| 2022 | 1,274 | 11.4% |
| 2023 | 1,257 | 10.2% |
| 2024 | 1,188 | 9.5% |
| 2025 | 1,110 | 9.8% |
What to check before buying a 2006 Continental
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: emissions & environmental accounted for 4.3% of tests. Start there.
- Emissions & environmental (4.3% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Lighting & signalling (2.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (2.8% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
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 2006 Bentley Continentals pass their MOT?
89.9% of the 6,117 2006 Bentley Continental MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2006 Bentley Continental?
Emissions & environmental, recorded in 4.3% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (2.8%).
Does the 2006 Continental get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.6% in the 0-30k band to 21.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,117 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.