2009 Bentley Continental — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 2,243 MOT tests analysed for the 2009 Bentley Continental, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, emissions & environmental and lighting & signalling. Its pass rate of 93.0% was above the average for cars of a similar age (75.8%).
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 2.5% | 55 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 2.0% | 45 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.6% | 36 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.5% | 34 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.2% | 27 |
| 6 | Visibility | 0.9% | 20 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 41 |
| 2 | Registration plates | 25 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 18 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 16 |
| 5 | Washers | 15 |
| 6 | Electronic stability control | 12 |
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 | 11.4% | 256 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.0% | 203 |
| 3 | Suspension | 3.7% | 82 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 3.5% | 78 |
| 5 | Other defects | 1.5% | 33 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.3% | 28 |
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 | 394 | 5.3% |
| 30-60k | 1,214 | 6.6% |
| 60-90k | 512 | 9.2% |
| 90-120k | 97 | 7.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 462 | 7.6% |
| 2022 | 462 | 8.4% |
| 2023 | 450 | 5.1% |
| 2024 | 443 | 7.2% |
| 2025 | 426 | 6.8% |
What to check before buying a 2009 Continental
Before buying a 2009 Bentley Continental, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Tyres accounted for 2.5% of tests for this year.
- Tyres (2.5% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (2.0% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Lighting & signalling (1.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 2009 Bentley Continentals pass their MOT?
93.0% of the 2,243 2009 Bentley Continental MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2009 Bentley Continental?
Tyres, recorded in 2.5% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (2.0%).
Does the 2009 Continental get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.3% in the 0-30k band to 7.2% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,243 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.