2005 Land Rover Range Rover — MOT failures & pass rate
18,774 MOT tests on the 2005 Land Rover Range Rover are in this dataset, and 76.9% of them passed. That is 1.8 percentage points better than large SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 24.9%. Failures cluster in brakes, suspension and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (12.0%) and suspension (11.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, rigid brake pipes and ball joint — pins and bushes alone was recorded 1,428 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 12.5% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 24.4% once past 150k.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 22.1% of the time against 23.6% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 36.3% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 24.0% in 2021 to 22.2% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 12.0% | 2,251 |
| 2 | Suspension | 11.8% | 2,225 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 7.8% | 1,458 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.6% | 1,044 |
| 5 | Tyres | 3.6% | 668 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.0% | 570 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pins and bushes | 1,428 |
| 2 | Rigid brake pipes | 1,278 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 935 |
| 4 | Decelerometer (sp) | 609 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 602 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 569 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 36.3% | 6,823 |
| 2 | Suspension | 36.2% | 6,800 |
| 3 | Tyres | 21.1% | 3,961 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 12.7% | 2,380 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 10.8% | 2,021 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 9.4% | 1,757 |
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 | 32 | 12.5% |
| 30-60k | 260 | 14.6% |
| 60-90k | 1,390 | 18.3% |
| 90-120k | 3,859 | 22.3% |
| 120-150k | 6,022 | 23.6% |
| 150k+ | 7,185 | 24.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 12,853 | 23.6% |
| Petrol | 5,901 | 22.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,686 | 24.0% |
| 2022 | 4,276 | 23.3% |
| 2023 | 3,776 | 22.4% |
| 2024 | 3,297 | 23.3% |
| 2025 | 2,739 | 22.2% |
What to check before buying a 2005 Range Rover
On a 2005 Range Rover, brakes is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 12.0% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Brakes (12.0% 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.
- Suspension (11.8% 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 (7.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 2005 Land Rover Range Rovers pass their MOT?
76.9% of the 18,774 2005 Land Rover Range Rover MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 23.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2005 Land Rover Range Rover?
Brakes, recorded in 12.0% of tests, followed by suspension (11.8%).
Does the 2005 Range Rover get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.5% in the 0-30k band to 24.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 18,774 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.