2011 Land Rover Discovery — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 37,440 MOT tests, the 2011 Land Rover Discovery recorded an 80.9% pass rate. That is effectively the same as large SUVs of a similar age (19.2% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in suspension, brakes and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (8.0%) and brakes (7.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, rigid brake pipes and registration plate lamp(s) — pins and bushes alone was recorded 3,196 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.4% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 21.4% once past 150k — 2.5× the risk.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 29.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 18.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 20.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 8.0% | 2,979 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.4% | 2,791 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 6.8% | 2,530 |
| 4 | Tyres | 3.8% | 1,434 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.7% | 1,383 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.4% | 906 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pins and bushes | 3,196 |
| 2 | Rigid brake pipes | 1,727 |
| 3 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 949 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 908 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 696 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 663 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 29.4% | 11,017 |
| 2 | Suspension | 23.3% | 8,729 |
| 3 | Tyres | 20.8% | 7,807 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 10.7% | 3,994 |
| 5 | Other defects | 8.5% | 3,178 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 8.3% | 3,101 |
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 | 131 | 8.4% |
| 30-60k | 1,125 | 13.1% |
| 60-90k | 5,537 | 15.4% |
| 90-120k | 11,931 | 19.0% |
| 120-150k | 11,041 | 20.2% |
| 150k+ | 7,669 | 21.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 37,296 | 19.1% |
| Petrol | 144 | 14.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 8,005 | 18.5% |
| 2022 | 7,732 | 17.8% |
| 2023 | 7,486 | 18.8% |
| 2024 | 7,284 | 20.1% |
| 2025 | 6,933 | 20.6% |
What to check before buying a 2011 Discovery
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 8.0% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (8.0% 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 (7.4% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (6.8% 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 2011 Land Rover Discoverys pass their MOT?
80.9% of the 37,440 2011 Land Rover Discovery MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 Land Rover Discovery?
Suspension, recorded in 8.0% of tests, followed by brakes (7.4%).
Does the 2011 Discovery get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.4% in the 0-30k band to 21.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 37,440 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.