2001 Land Rover Range Rover — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2001 Land Rover Range Rover passed 78.3% of its 8,301 recorded MOT tests. Against large SUVs of a similar age (25.1% fail rate), the 2001 Range Rover comes out 3.4pp better. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (10.5%) and lighting & signalling (8.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint dust cover, anti-lock braking system and catalyst emissions — ball joint dust cover alone was recorded 506 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 30-60k one: 23.7% versus 18.5%.
Fuel type barely separates them — diesel fails 20.9% of the time against 22.2% for petrol.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: emissions & environmental was flagged on 30.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 22.8% in 2021 to 19.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 10.5% | 873 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 8.6% | 716 |
| 3 | Suspension | 8.2% | 678 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.7% | 555 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.0% | 411 |
| 6 | Steering | 4.4% | 365 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball joint dust cover | 506 |
| 2 | Anti-lock braking system | 400 |
| 3 | Catalyst emissions | 388 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 300 |
| 5 | Exhaust system | 285 |
| 6 | Track rod end | 280 |
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 | 30.9% | 2,568 |
| 2 | Suspension | 27.6% | 2,293 |
| 3 | Brakes | 27.5% | 2,281 |
| 4 | Tyres | 16.9% | 1,406 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 14.9% | 1,234 |
| 6 | Steering | 13.3% | 1,103 |
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 | 173 | 18.5% |
| 60-90k | 905 | 17.7% |
| 90-120k | 2,129 | 20.1% |
| 120-150k | 2,515 | 22.7% |
| 150k+ | 2,527 | 23.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 5,290 | 22.2% |
| Diesel | 2,986 | 20.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,150 | 22.8% |
| 2022 | 1,824 | 22.0% |
| 2023 | 1,666 | 22.6% |
| 2024 | 1,410 | 20.9% |
| 2025 | 1,251 | 19.1% |
What to check before buying a 2001 Range Rover
On a 2001 Range Rover, brakes is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 10.5% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Brakes (10.5% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (8.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (8.2% 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 Range Rovers pass their MOT?
78.3% of the 8,301 2001 Land Rover Range Rover MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 21.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2001 Land Rover Range Rover?
Brakes, recorded in 10.5% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (8.6%).
Does the 2001 Range Rover get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 18.5% in the 30-60k band to 23.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 8,301 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.