Bentley Mulsanne MOT pass rate & common failures
The Bentley Mulsanne appears in 4,902 MOT tests spanning model years 1980–2021, and 93.2% of them passed. Against all cars of a similar age (17.8% fail rate), the Mulsanne comes out 10.9pp better. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (2.6%) and brakes (2.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are rbt (sp), headlamp aim and position lamp — rbt (sp) alone was recorded 72 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 12.7% versus 3.4%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 10.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every Mulsanne model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 55 | 80.0% | 20.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1985 | 88 | 89.8% | 10.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1986 | 47 | 78.7% | 21.3% | Brakes |
| 1987 | 52 | 76.9% | 23.1% | Brakes |
| 1988 | 165 | 88.5% | 11.5% | Brakes |
| 1989 | 184 | 85.9% | 14.1% | Brakes |
| 1990 | 224 | 83.0% | 17.0% | Suspension |
| 1991 | 133 | 82.7% | 17.3% | Brakes |
| 1992 | 57 | 86.0% | 14.0% | Brakes |
| 2010 | 113 | 93.8% | 6.2% | Tyres |
| 2011 | 486 | 93.0% | 7.0% | Tyres |
| 2012 | 342 | 95.0% | 5.0% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2013 | 318 | 96.2% | 3.8% | Tyres |
| 2014 | 470 | 96.8% | 3.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 538 | 94.6% | 5.4% | Tyres |
| 2016 | 603 | 96.5% | 3.5% | Tyres |
| 2017 | 430 | 94.7% | 5.3% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 231 | 96.1% | 3.9% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 226 | 96.5% | 3.5% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 79 | 98.7% | 1.3% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 2.6% | 127 |
| 2 | Brakes | 2.2% | 109 |
| 3 | Tyres | 2.1% | 103 |
| 4 | Suspension | 1.9% | 93 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.5% | 71 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.1% | 55 |
| 7 | Steering | 0.5% | 25 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.4% | 18 |
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) | 72 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 45 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 37 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 35 |
| 5 | Parking brake performance | 33 |
| 6 | Shock absorbers | 32 |
| 7 | Headlamp | 32 |
| 8 | Wipers | 31 |
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 | 10.8% | 531 |
| 2 | Suspension | 7.5% | 370 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.2% | 256 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 4.8% | 237 |
| 5 | Steering | 4.0% | 195 |
| 6 | Other defects | 2.4% | 118 |
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 | 2,344 | 3.4% |
| 30-60k | 1,489 | 7.4% |
| 60-90k | 513 | 12.1% |
| 90-120k | 312 | 15.4% |
| 120-150k | 188 | 15.4% |
| 150k+ | 55 | 12.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 973 | 7.8% |
| 2022 | 1,019 | 7.5% |
| 2023 | 974 | 5.5% |
| 2024 | 966 | 6.0% |
| 2025 | 970 | 7.4% |
What to check before buying a Bentley Mulsanne
- Lighting & signalling (2.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (2.2% 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.
- Tyres (2.1% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Bentley Mulsanne?
93.2% of the 4,902 Bentley Mulsanne MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 6.9% fail rate, across model years 1980–2021.
What does the Bentley Mulsanne most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 2.6% of tests, then brakes (2.2%).
How much does mileage affect Mulsanne MOT results?
Fail rates run at 3.4% for cars in the 0-30k band and 12.7% for 150k+, a 9.3-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,902 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.