2016 Rolls-Royce Ghost — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 328 MOT tests, the 2016 Rolls-Royce Ghost recorded a 96.7% pass rate. That is 11.0 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 14.4%. Failures cluster in visibility, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (1.2%) and lighting & signalling (1.2%) 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 3 times.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 12.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 6.8% in 2021 to 3.2% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 1.2% | 4 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.2% | 4 |
| 3 | Tyres | 0.9% | 3 |
| 4 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.3% | 1 |
| 5 | Other defects | 0.3% | 1 |
| 6 | Brakes | 0.3% | 1 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washers | 3 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 3 |
| 3 | Registration plates | 2 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 1 |
| 5 | Headlamp cleaning device | 1 |
| 6 | Wipers | 1 |
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 | 12.2% | 40 |
| 2 | Brakes | 2.1% | 7 |
| 3 | Other defects | 1.5% | 5 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 1.2% | 4 |
| 5 | Road wheels | 0.6% | 2 |
| 6 | Visibility | 0.6% | 2 |
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 | 240 | 3.8% |
| 30-60k | 67 | 3.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 74 | 6.8% |
| 2022 | 67 | 0.0% |
| 2023 | 63 | 1.6% |
| 2024 | 62 | 4.8% |
| 2025 | 62 | 3.2% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Ghost
On a 2016 Ghost, visibility is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 1.2% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Visibility (1.2% 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 (1.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (0.9% 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.
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 2016 Rolls-Royce Ghosts pass their MOT?
96.7% of the 328 2016 Rolls-Royce Ghost MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 3.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Rolls-Royce Ghost?
Visibility, recorded in 1.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (1.2%).
Does the 2016 Ghost get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 3.8% in the 0-30k band to 3.0% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 328 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.