Rolls-Royce Ghost MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 12 model years and 3,890 tests, the Rolls-Royce Ghost passes its MOT 95.8% of the time. That is 14.4 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 18.6%. Its most common failure areas are tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (2.3%) and visibility (1.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are washers, headlamp aim and registration plates — washers alone was recorded 36 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the Ghost fails 3.5% of the time in the 0-30k band and 5.0% at 90-120k, a spread of only 1.5 points.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 9.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 5.9% in 2021 to 2.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Ghost model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 555 | 95.9% | 4.1% | Tyres |
| 2011 | 515 | 95.5% | 4.5% | Visibility |
| 2012 | 482 | 96.3% | 3.7% | Tyres |
| 2013 | 413 | 93.7% | 6.3% | Tyres |
| 2014 | 372 | 95.7% | 4.3% | Tyres |
| 2015 | 466 | 95.3% | 4.7% | Tyres |
| 2016 | 328 | 96.7% | 3.4% | Visibility |
| 2017 | 349 | 96.0% | 4.0% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 256 | 97.3% | 2.7% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 98 | 98.0% | 2.0% | Brakes |
| 2020 | 31 | 96.8% | 3.2% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 2.3% | 89 |
| 2 | Visibility | 1.0% | 40 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 0.9% | 36 |
| 4 | Brakes | 0.7% | 27 |
| 5 | Other defects | 0.4% | 14 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.3% | 10 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 0.2% | 8 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.2% | 7 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washers | 36 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 28 |
| 3 | Registration plates | 24 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 13 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 12 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 11 |
| 7 | Wipers | 10 |
| 8 | Pins and bushes | 9 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 9.1% | 353 |
| 2 | Brakes | 2.2% | 85 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 2.0% | 77 |
| 4 | Other defects | 1.2% | 46 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.0% | 40 |
| 6 | Visibility | 0.8% | 29 |
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 | 1,989 | 3.5% |
| 30-60k | 1,281 | 5.2% |
| 60-90k | 438 | 4.3% |
| 90-120k | 139 | 5.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 804 | 5.9% |
| 2022 | 796 | 4.8% |
| 2023 | 780 | 3.7% |
| 2024 | 759 | 4.0% |
| 2025 | 751 | 2.7% |
What to check before buying a Rolls-Royce Ghost
- Tyres (2.3% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Visibility (1.0% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Lighting & signalling (0.9% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Rolls-Royce Ghost?
95.8% of the 3,890 Rolls-Royce Ghost MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 4.2% fail rate, across model years 2009–2020.
What does the Rolls-Royce Ghost most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 2.3% of tests, then visibility (1.0%).
How much does mileage affect Ghost MOT results?
Fail rates run at 3.5% for cars in the 0-30k band and 5.0% for 90-120k, a 1.5-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,890 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.