1988 Land Rover Range Rover — MOT failures & pass rate
746 MOT tests on the 1988 Land Rover Range Rover are in this dataset, and 82.0% of them passed. That is 5.6 percentage points better than large SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 23.6%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, body, structure & corrosion and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.1% of tests against 6.2% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, washers and prescribed areas — headlamp aim alone was recorded 56 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1988 Range Rover fails 25.3% of the time in the 0-30k band and 22.6% at 150k+, a spread of only 2.6 points.
Emissions & environmental is the most common advisory, noted on 24.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 21.5% in 2021 to 13.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 11.1% | 83 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.2% | 46 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.6% | 42 |
| 4 | Visibility | 5.5% | 41 |
| 5 | Suspension | 5.0% | 37 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.0% | 30 |
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 | 56 |
| 2 | Washers | 30 |
| 3 | Prescribed areas | 30 |
| 4 | Shock absorbers | 29 |
| 5 | Integral vehicle structure condition | 25 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 24 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emissions & environmental | 24.5% | 183 |
| 2 | Suspension | 21.9% | 163 |
| 3 | Brakes | 17.7% | 132 |
| 4 | Steering | 14.8% | 110 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 14.5% | 108 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 8.8% | 66 |
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 | 91 | 25.3% |
| 30-60k | 141 | 18.4% |
| 60-90k | 153 | 15.7% |
| 90-120k | 146 | 15.8% |
| 120-150k | 122 | 13.9% |
| 150k+ | 84 | 22.6% |
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 545 | 16.9% |
| Diesel | 200 | 21.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 177 | 21.5% |
| 2022 | 157 | 20.4% |
| 2023 | 141 | 15.6% |
| 2024 | 140 | 17.1% |
| 2025 | 131 | 13.7% |
What to check before buying a 1988 Range Rover
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 11.1% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (11.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (6.2% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
- Brakes (5.6% 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 1988 Land Rover Range Rovers pass their MOT?
82.0% of the 746 1988 Land Rover Range Rover MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 18.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1988 Land Rover Range Rover?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.1% of tests, followed by body, structure & corrosion (6.2%).
Does the 1988 Range Rover get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 25.3% in the 0-30k band to 22.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 746 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.