2008 Land Rover Freelander — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2008 Land Rover Freelander passed 75.9% of its 71,380 recorded MOT tests. That is 2.9 percentage points better than mid-size SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 27.0%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (12.6%) and lighting & signalling (12.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, position lamp and individual direction indicators — headlamp aim alone was recorded 3,074 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 27.6% versus 12.1%.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 29.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 22.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 26.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 12.6% | 8,957 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 12.2% | 8,722 |
| 3 | Brakes | 9.2% | 6,538 |
| 4 | Steering | 4.8% | 3,433 |
| 5 | Tyres | 3.7% | 2,618 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.1% | 2,199 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 3,074 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 2,582 |
| 3 | Individual direction indicators | 2,416 |
| 4 | Track rod end | 2,372 |
| 5 | Shock absorbers | 2,370 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 2,228 |
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 | 29.6% | 21,154 |
| 2 | Brakes | 23.7% | 16,899 |
| 3 | Tyres | 22.9% | 16,368 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 11.8% | 8,395 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 11.7% | 8,334 |
| 6 | Other defects | 9.9% | 7,065 |
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 | 149 | 12.1% |
| 30-60k | 1,646 | 13.6% |
| 60-90k | 7,517 | 18.2% |
| 90-120k | 19,144 | 22.3% |
| 120-150k | 22,368 | 25.1% |
| 150k+ | 20,538 | 27.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 71,013 | 24.1% |
| Petrol | 363 | 21.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 15,247 | 22.1% |
| 2022 | 15,080 | 22.6% |
| 2023 | 14,669 | 24.2% |
| 2024 | 13,804 | 25.4% |
| 2025 | 12,580 | 26.5% |
What to check before buying a 2008 Freelander
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 12.6% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (12.6% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (12.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (9.2% 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 2008 Land Rover Freelanders pass their MOT?
75.9% of the 71,380 2008 Land Rover Freelander MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 24.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2008 Land Rover Freelander?
Suspension, recorded in 12.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (12.2%).
Does the 2008 Freelander get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.1% in the 0-30k band to 27.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 71,380 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.