1997 Land Rover Range Rover — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 3,835 MOT tests, the 1997 Land Rover Range Rover recorded a 77.7% pass rate. That is 1.9 percentage points better than large SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 24.3%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (8.9%) and lighting & signalling (8.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, ball joint dust cover and track rod end — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 290 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 12.9% in the 30-60k band and 22.1% in the 150k+ band, a 9.2-point spread.
Fuel type barely separates them — diesel fails 21.9% of the time against 22.7% for petrol.
Emissions & environmental is the most common advisory, noted on 30.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 22.7% in 2021 to 20.9% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 8.9% | 342 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 8.8% | 339 |
| 3 | Brakes | 8.8% | 337 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.7% | 332 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 6.8% | 259 |
| 6 | Steering | 5.4% | 207 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 290 |
| 2 | Ball joint dust cover | 243 |
| 3 | Track rod end | 200 |
| 4 | Ball joint | 164 |
| 5 | Anti-lock braking system | 160 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 129 |
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 | 30.6% | 1,173 |
| 2 | Suspension | 25.8% | 991 |
| 3 | Brakes | 25.2% | 967 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 19.0% | 728 |
| 5 | Tyres | 16.2% | 622 |
| 6 | Steering | 13.6% | 521 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 101 | 12.9% |
| 60-90k | 341 | 18.8% |
| 90-120k | 630 | 22.2% |
| 120-150k | 1,075 | 25.0% |
| 150k+ | 1,645 | 22.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 2,023 | 22.7% |
| Diesel | 1,812 | 21.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,046 | 22.7% |
| 2022 | 885 | 21.8% |
| 2023 | 749 | 23.4% |
| 2024 | 629 | 22.4% |
| 2025 | 526 | 20.9% |
What to check before buying a 1997 Range Rover
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 8.9% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (8.9% 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 (8.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (8.8% 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 1997 Land Rover Range Rovers pass their MOT?
77.7% of the 3,835 1997 Land Rover Range Rover MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 22.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1997 Land Rover Range Rover?
Suspension, recorded in 8.9% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (8.8%).
Does the 1997 Range Rover get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.9% in the 30-60k band to 22.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,835 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.