2004 Rolls-Royce Phantom — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 256 MOT tests, the 2004 Rolls-Royce Phantom recorded a 92.2% pass rate. That is 19.9 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 27.7%. Failures cluster in brakes, tyres and seat belts & restraints.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (3.1%) and tyres (1.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are srs malfunction indicator lamp, registration plates and tread depth — srs malfunction indicator lamp alone was recorded 5 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2004 Phantom fails 8.8% of the time in the 30-60k band and 10.8% at 90-120k, a spread of only 2.1 points.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 3.1% | 8 |
| 2 | Tyres | 1.9% | 5 |
| 3 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.9% | 5 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 1.9% | 5 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.6% | 4 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.6% | 4 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 5 |
| 2 | Registration plates | 5 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 4 |
| 4 | Door condition | 3 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 3 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 3 |
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 | 7.0% | 18 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.9% | 15 |
| 3 | Suspension | 4.7% | 12 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 4.3% | 11 |
| 5 | Other defects | 2.3% | 6 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.3% | 6 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 57 | 8.8% |
| 60-90k | 63 | 4.8% |
| 90-120k | 83 | 10.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 57 | 8.8% |
| 2022 | 53 | 9.4% |
| 2023 | 52 | 5.8% |
| 2024 | 46 | 6.5% |
| 2025 | 48 | 8.3% |
What to check before buying a 2004 Phantom
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 3.1% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (3.1% 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.
- Tyres (1.9% 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.
- Seat belts & restraints (1.9% of tests): Belt damage or faulty pretensioners — usually straightforward but safety-critical. Typical repair: £50–£300.
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 2004 Rolls-Royce Phantoms pass their MOT?
92.2% of the 256 2004 Rolls-Royce Phantom MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2004 Rolls-Royce Phantom?
Brakes, recorded in 3.1% of tests, followed by tyres (1.9%).
Does the 2004 Phantom get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.8% in the 30-60k band to 10.8% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 256 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.