Lamborghini Gallardo MOT pass rate & common failures
2,926 MOT tests on the Lamborghini Gallardo (2003–2021) give it a 95.5% pass rate. That is 20.4 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 24.9%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, emissions & environmental and other defects.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (2.1%) and emissions & environmental (1.5%) 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 malfunction indicator lamp — registration plates alone was recorded 52 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the Gallardo fails 3.8% of the time in the 0-30k band and 7.1% at 60-90k, a spread of only 3.3 points.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 5.2% in 2021 to 3.6% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Gallardo model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 255 | 95.7% | 4.3% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2005 | 128 | 96.9% | 3.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 305 | 94.8% | 5.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 506 | 94.5% | 5.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 464 | 95.0% | 5.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 212 | 96.7% | 3.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 184 | 96.2% | 3.8% | Brakes |
| 2011 | 251 | 97.2% | 2.8% | Other defects |
| 2012 | 260 | 94.6% | 5.4% | Other defects |
| 2013 | 235 | 97.5% | 2.5% | Other defects |
| 2014 | 58 | 96.5% | 3.5% | Other defects |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 2.1% | 63 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 1.5% | 43 |
| 3 | Other defects | 1.4% | 40 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.2% | 36 |
| 5 | Tyres | 0.7% | 20 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.5% | 16 |
| 7 | Visibility | 0.4% | 11 |
| 8 | Steering | 0.2% | 7 |
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 | 52 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 44 |
| 3 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 28 |
| 4 | Catalyst emissions | 23 |
| 5 | Decelerometer (sp) | 21 |
| 6 | Rear fog lamp | 17 |
| 7 | Position lamp | 11 |
| 8 | Tread depth | 10 |
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 | 6.2% | 182 |
| 2 | Brakes | 2.8% | 82 |
| 3 | Suspension | 2.5% | 72 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 1.0% | 30 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.0% | 29 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.7% | 19 |
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 | 1,762 | 3.8% |
| 30-60k | 1,048 | 5.3% |
| 60-90k | 99 | 7.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 617 | 5.2% |
| 2022 | 592 | 5.1% |
| 2023 | 592 | 4.2% |
| 2024 | 550 | 4.4% |
| 2025 | 575 | 3.6% |
What to check before buying a Lamborghini Gallardo
- Lighting & signalling (2.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (1.5% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Other defects (1.4% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Lamborghini Gallardo?
95.5% of the 2,926 Lamborghini Gallardo MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 4.5% fail rate, across model years 2003–2021.
What does the Lamborghini Gallardo most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 2.1% of tests, then emissions & environmental (1.5%).
How much does mileage affect Gallardo MOT results?
Fail rates run at 3.8% for cars in the 0-30k band and 7.1% for 60-90k, a 3.3-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,926 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.