2016 Bentley Mulsanne — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2016 Bentley Mulsanne passed 96.5% of its 603 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail 14.5% of the time, so this is 11.0pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, emissions & environmental and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (2.5%) and emissions & environmental (1.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are malfunction indicator lamp, tyre pressure monitoring system and tread depth — malfunction indicator lamp alone was recorded 8 times.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 9.6% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 2.5% | 15 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 1.3% | 8 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 0.3% | 2 |
| 4 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.3% | 2 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.2% | 1 |
| 6 | Steering | 0.2% | 1 |
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 | 8 |
| 2 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 4 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 2 |
| 4 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 2 |
| 5 | Catalyst emissions | 1 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 1 |
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 | 9.6% | 58 |
| 2 | Brakes | 2.6% | 16 |
| 3 | Steering | 2.3% | 14 |
| 4 | Other defects | 1.8% | 11 |
| 5 | Visibility | 0.7% | 4 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.5% | 3 |
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 | 406 | 2.5% |
| 30-60k | 170 | 5.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 123 | 4.9% |
| 2022 | 126 | 1.6% |
| 2023 | 124 | 3.2% |
| 2024 | 112 | 4.5% |
| 2025 | 118 | 3.4% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Mulsanne
On a 2016 Mulsanne, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 2.5% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- 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 (1.3% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Lighting & signalling (0.3% 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 2016 Bentley Mulsannes pass their MOT?
96.5% of the 603 2016 Bentley Mulsanne MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 3.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Bentley Mulsanne?
Tyres, recorded in 2.5% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (1.3%).
Does the 2016 Mulsanne get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 2.5% in the 0-30k band to 5.9% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 603 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.