2004 Land Rover Discovery — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2004 Land Rover Discovery passed 74.9% of its 43,201 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as large SUVs of a similar age (25.3% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (14.5%) and suspension (12.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are chassis condition, headlamp aim and ball joint — chassis condition alone was recorded 2,684 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 20.2% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 26.0% once past 150k.
The petrol cars hold up better: 22.9% fail against 25.2% for diesel, a 2.3-point gap across 43,191 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 33.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 25.9% in 2021 to 23.5% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 14.5% | 6,250 |
| 2 | Suspension | 12.9% | 5,584 |
| 3 | Brakes | 10.1% | 4,377 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 9.3% | 4,016 |
| 5 | Steering | 5.2% | 2,230 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.0% | 1,721 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chassis condition | 2,684 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 2,556 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 2,403 |
| 4 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 2,387 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 2,266 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 1,819 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 33.3% | 14,400 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 26.7% | 11,547 |
| 3 | Brakes | 24.7% | 10,660 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 22.3% | 9,614 |
| 5 | Tyres | 14.7% | 6,347 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 12.1% | 5,243 |
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 | 99 | 20.2% |
| 30-60k | 610 | 17.7% |
| 60-90k | 2,618 | 20.8% |
| 90-120k | 7,997 | 24.9% |
| 120-150k | 12,428 | 25.1% |
| 150k+ | 19,401 | 26.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 41,869 | 25.2% |
| Petrol | 1,322 | 22.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 10,477 | 25.9% |
| 2022 | 9,653 | 25.7% |
| 2023 | 8,602 | 25.0% |
| 2024 | 7,683 | 24.8% |
| 2025 | 6,786 | 23.5% |
What to check before buying a 2004 Discovery
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 14.5% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (14.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (12.9% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Brakes (10.1% 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.
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 2004 Land Rover Discoverys pass their MOT?
74.9% of the 43,201 2004 Land Rover Discovery MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 25.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2004 Land Rover Discovery?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.5% of tests, followed by suspension (12.9%).
Does the 2004 Discovery get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 20.2% in the 0-30k band to 26.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 43,201 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.