2015 Bentley Continental — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 4,041 MOT tests, the 2015 Bentley Continental recorded a 95.7% pass rate. Against coupes & convertibles of a similar age (11.9% fail rate), the 2015 Continental comes out 7.6pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and other defects.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (2.6%) and lighting & signalling (0.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are registration plates, headlamp aim and tread depth — registration plates alone was recorded 47 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 3.4% in the 0-30k band and 8.9% in the 60-90k band, a 5.6-point spread — more than double.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 11.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 2.6% | 106 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 0.9% | 35 |
| 3 | Other defects | 0.7% | 27 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 0.6% | 24 |
| 5 | Brakes | 0.4% | 17 |
| 6 | Visibility | 0.3% | 13 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Registration plates | 47 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 22 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 21 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 19 |
| 5 | Washers | 11 |
| 6 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 11 |
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 | 11.8% | 478 |
| 2 | Brakes | 3.8% | 155 |
| 3 | Other defects | 1.6% | 64 |
| 4 | Suspension | 1.5% | 62 |
| 5 | Visibility | 0.7% | 29 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.5% | 20 |
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 | 2,246 | 3.4% |
| 30-60k | 1,602 | 5.1% |
| 60-90k | 179 | 8.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 850 | 4.1% |
| 2022 | 806 | 3.7% |
| 2023 | 813 | 4.3% |
| 2024 | 789 | 5.3% |
| 2025 | 783 | 4.0% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Continental
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 2.6% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (2.6% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (0.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Other defects (0.7% of tests): Miscellaneous items not in the main categories. Typical repair: varies.
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 2015 Bentley Continentals pass their MOT?
95.7% of the 4,041 2015 Bentley Continental MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 4.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Bentley Continental?
Tyres, recorded in 2.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (0.9%).
Does the 2015 Continental get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 3.4% in the 0-30k band to 8.9% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,041 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.