2015 Land Rover Discovery — MOT failures & pass rate
54,096 MOT tests on the 2015 Land Rover Discovery are in this dataset, and 85.9% of them passed. That is effectively the same as large SUVs of a similar age (13.7% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (5.0%) and lighting & signalling (4.3%) 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 2,392 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 17.8% versus 5.2%.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 22.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 12.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 14.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 5.0% | 2,711 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 4.3% | 2,336 |
| 3 | Tyres | 3.9% | 2,104 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.8% | 2,077 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.7% | 1,457 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.8% | 961 |
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 | 2,392 |
| 2 | Rigid brake pipes | 1,565 |
| 3 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 1,394 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 1,298 |
| 5 | Prop shaft | 782 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 662 |
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 | 22.8% | 12,308 |
| 2 | Tyres | 18.0% | 9,752 |
| 3 | Suspension | 14.5% | 7,841 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.6% | 3,558 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 6.4% | 3,464 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.3% | 2,351 |
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 | 997 | 5.2% |
| 30-60k | 10,557 | 10.9% |
| 60-90k | 20,264 | 13.7% |
| 90-120k | 14,162 | 15.6% |
| 120-150k | 5,571 | 17.2% |
| 150k+ | 2,541 | 17.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 54,047 | 14.1% |
| Petrol | 49 | 10.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 11,156 | 12.9% |
| 2022 | 10,996 | 13.3% |
| 2023 | 10,812 | 14.2% |
| 2024 | 10,702 | 15.4% |
| 2025 | 10,430 | 14.7% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Discovery
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 5.0% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (5.0% 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 (4.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (3.9% 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
How many 2015 Land Rover Discoverys pass their MOT?
85.9% of the 54,096 2015 Land Rover Discovery MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Land Rover Discovery?
Brakes, recorded in 5.0% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (4.3%).
Does the 2015 Discovery get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.2% in the 0-30k band to 17.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 54,096 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.