2009 Land Rover Range Rover — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 16,667 MOT tests, the 2009 Land Rover Range Rover recorded a 79.8% pass rate. That is 1.5 percentage points better than large SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 21.7%. Failures cluster in suspension, brakes and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (9.3%) and brakes (8.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are rigid brake pipes, pins and bushes and ball joint — rigid brake pipes alone was recorded 1,128 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 14.9% in the 0-30k band and 22.4% in the 150k+ band, a 7.5-point spread.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.3pp more often than petrol ones (20.4% vs 18.0%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 32.1% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 9.3% | 1,553 |
| 2 | Brakes | 8.0% | 1,326 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 4.9% | 819 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.4% | 726 |
| 5 | Tyres | 4.0% | 668 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.5% | 417 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rigid brake pipes | 1,128 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 886 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 684 |
| 4 | Joints | 584 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 426 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 354 |
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 | 32.1% | 5,356 |
| 2 | Suspension | 31.1% | 5,189 |
| 3 | Tyres | 21.6% | 3,609 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 10.1% | 1,684 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 9.8% | 1,642 |
| 6 | Visibility | 6.0% | 998 |
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 | 74 | 14.9% |
| 30-60k | 540 | 15.9% |
| 60-90k | 2,416 | 16.2% |
| 90-120k | 5,471 | 19.9% |
| 120-150k | 5,059 | 21.6% |
| 150k+ | 3,105 | 22.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 15,137 | 20.4% |
| Petrol | 1,530 | 18.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,661 | 19.4% |
| 2022 | 3,583 | 20.4% |
| 2023 | 3,370 | 20.6% |
| 2024 | 3,123 | 20.3% |
| 2025 | 2,930 | 20.2% |
What to check before buying a 2009 Range Rover
On a 2009 Range Rover, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 9.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (9.3% 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.
- Brakes (8.0% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (4.9% 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 2009 Land Rover Range Rovers pass their MOT?
79.8% of the 16,667 2009 Land Rover Range Rover MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2009 Land Rover Range Rover?
Suspension, recorded in 9.3% of tests, followed by brakes (8.0%).
Does the 2009 Range Rover get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 14.9% in the 0-30k band to 22.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 16,667 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.