2001 Land Rover Freelander — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2001 Land Rover Freelander passed 70.2% of its 10,391 recorded MOT tests. Against mid-size SUVs of a similar age (28.1% fail rate), the 2001 Freelander comes out 1.7pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (17.7%) and brakes (17.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are rigid brake pipes, stop lamp and component mounting prescribed areas — rigid brake pipes alone was recorded 921 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 27.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 33.3% once past 150k.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 29.3% of the time against 30.0% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 42.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 30.4% in 2021 to 28.0% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 17.7% | 1,835 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.1% | 1,777 |
| 3 | Suspension | 13.5% | 1,402 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 9.3% | 966 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.3% | 553 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.4% | 453 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rigid brake pipes | 921 |
| 2 | Stop lamp | 751 |
| 3 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 629 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 622 |
| 5 | Anti-lock braking system | 621 |
| 6 | Wipers | 517 |
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 | 42.8% | 4,452 |
| 2 | Suspension | 27.8% | 2,887 |
| 3 | Tyres | 22.9% | 2,382 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 18.6% | 1,930 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 11.5% | 1,196 |
| 6 | Other defects | 10.5% | 1,096 |
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 | 118 | 27.1% |
| 30-60k | 516 | 21.5% |
| 60-90k | 1,619 | 26.1% |
| 90-120k | 2,432 | 28.3% |
| 120-150k | 2,678 | 30.9% |
| 150k+ | 2,873 | 33.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 7,166 | 30.0% |
| Petrol | 3,225 | 29.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,374 | 30.4% |
| 2022 | 2,570 | 29.1% |
| 2023 | 1,913 | 29.2% |
| 2024 | 1,455 | 31.8% |
| 2025 | 1,079 | 28.0% |
What to check before buying a 2001 Freelander
On a 2001 Freelander, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 17.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (17.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (17.1% 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.
- Suspension (13.5% 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.
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 2001 Land Rover Freelanders pass their MOT?
70.2% of the 10,391 2001 Land Rover Freelander MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 29.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2001 Land Rover Freelander?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 17.7% of tests, followed by brakes (17.1%).
Does the 2001 Freelander get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 27.1% in the 0-30k band to 33.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 10,391 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.