1993 Land Rover Range Rover — MOT failures & pass rate
1,988 MOT tests on the 1993 Land Rover Range Rover are in this dataset, and 80.5% of them passed. Against large SUVs of a similar age (23.6% fail rate), the 1993 Range Rover comes out 4.1pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, body, structure & corrosion and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.7% of tests against 7.9% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, prescribed areas and integral vehicle structure condition — headlamp aim alone was recorded 136 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1993 Range Rover fails 21.6% of the time in the 0-30k band and 19.9% at 150k+, a spread of only 1.7 points.
The petrol cars hold up better: 17.7% fail against 21.9% for diesel, a 4.2-point gap across 1,987 tests.
Emissions & environmental is the most common advisory, noted on 24.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 20.9% in 2021 to 18.4% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 11.7% | 233 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.9% | 157 |
| 3 | Brakes | 7.6% | 151 |
| 4 | Suspension | 6.8% | 136 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.6% | 111 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 5.1% | 102 |
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 | 136 |
| 2 | Prescribed areas | 109 |
| 3 | Integral vehicle structure condition | 102 |
| 4 | Catalyst emissions | 89 |
| 5 | Chassis condition | 81 |
| 6 | Washers | 72 |
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 | 24.9% | 496 |
| 2 | Suspension | 21.4% | 426 |
| 3 | Brakes | 20.1% | 399 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 17.2% | 341 |
| 5 | Steering | 10.9% | 217 |
| 6 | Tyres | 9.4% | 187 |
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 | 37 | 21.6% |
| 30-60k | 60 | 8.3% |
| 60-90k | 220 | 15.4% |
| 90-120k | 452 | 19.3% |
| 120-150k | 475 | 22.1% |
| 150k+ | 743 | 19.9% |
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 1,110 | 17.7% |
| Diesel | 877 | 21.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 440 | 20.9% |
| 2022 | 436 | 21.1% |
| 2023 | 393 | 16.8% |
| 2024 | 360 | 20.0% |
| 2025 | 359 | 18.4% |
What to check before buying a 1993 Range Rover
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 11.7% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (11.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (7.9% 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 (7.6% 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 1993 Land Rover Range Rovers pass their MOT?
80.5% of the 1,988 1993 Land Rover Range Rover MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1993 Land Rover Range Rover?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.7% of tests, followed by body, structure & corrosion (7.9%).
Does the 1993 Range Rover get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 21.6% in the 0-30k band to 19.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,988 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.