2012 Land Rover Range Rover — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 27,659 MOT tests, the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover recorded an 82.1% pass rate. Large SUVs of a similar age fail at 17.8%, so the 2012 Range Rover sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in suspension, brakes and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (8.5%) and brakes (5.5%) 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 1,310 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 21.9% versus 7.5%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 4.5pp more often than petrol ones (18.0% vs 13.5%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 25.9% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 8.5% | 2,347 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.5% | 1,522 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 4.9% | 1,361 |
| 4 | Tyres | 3.9% | 1,082 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.2% | 612 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.1% | 595 |
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 | 1,310 |
| 2 | Rigid brake pipes | 1,161 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 972 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 741 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 615 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 498 |
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 | 25.9% | 7,176 |
| 2 | Suspension | 25.0% | 6,927 |
| 3 | Tyres | 21.1% | 5,840 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 10.5% | 2,905 |
| 5 | Other defects | 5.7% | 1,589 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 5.3% | 1,470 |
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 | 254 | 7.5% |
| 30-60k | 2,622 | 13.0% |
| 60-90k | 8,898 | 16.9% |
| 90-120k | 9,635 | 18.8% |
| 120-150k | 4,454 | 19.7% |
| 150k+ | 1,787 | 21.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 26,801 | 18.0% |
| Petrol | 851 | 13.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 5,847 | 18.0% |
| 2022 | 5,631 | 16.9% |
| 2023 | 5,582 | 17.8% |
| 2024 | 5,326 | 17.9% |
| 2025 | 5,273 | 18.9% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Range Rover
On a 2012 Range Rover, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 8.5% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (8.5% 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 (5.5% 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 (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 2012 Land Rover Range Rovers pass their MOT?
82.1% of the 27,659 2012 Land Rover Range Rover MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Land Rover Range Rover?
Suspension, recorded in 8.5% of tests, followed by brakes (5.5%).
Does the 2012 Range Rover get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.5% in the 0-30k band to 21.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 27,659 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.