2007 Rolls-Royce Phantom — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 420 MOT tests, the 2007 Rolls-Royce Phantom recorded a 95.0% pass rate. That is 21.9 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 26.9%. Failures cluster in seat belts & restraints, lighting & signalling and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — seat belts & restraints (1.9%) and lighting & signalling (1.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp, srs malfunction indicator lamp and washers — headlamp alone was recorded 6 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2007 Phantom fails 6.7% of the time in the 0-30k band and 7.3% at 90-120k, a spread of only 0.7 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 9.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 6.7% in 2021 to 3.6% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.9% | 8 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.7% | 7 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 1.2% | 5 |
| 4 | Tyres | 1.2% | 5 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.2% | 5 |
| 6 | Brakes | 0.5% | 2 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp | 6 |
| 2 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 5 |
| 3 | Washers | 4 |
| 4 | Catalyst emissions | 4 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 4 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 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 | Tyres | 9.0% | 38 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.5% | 19 |
| 3 | Suspension | 3.8% | 16 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 2.4% | 10 |
| 5 | Visibility | 0.7% | 3 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.7% | 3 |
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 | 105 | 6.7% |
| 30-60k | 163 | 4.3% |
| 60-90k | 79 | 5.1% |
| 90-120k | 41 | 7.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 90 | 6.7% |
| 2022 | 81 | 2.5% |
| 2023 | 89 | 9.0% |
| 2024 | 77 | 2.6% |
| 2025 | 83 | 3.6% |
What to check before buying a 2007 Phantom
On a 2007 Phantom, seat belts & restraints is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 1.9% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Seat belts & restraints (1.9% of tests): Belt damage or faulty pretensioners — usually straightforward but safety-critical. Typical repair: £50–£300.
- Lighting & signalling (1.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (1.2% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
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 2007 Rolls-Royce Phantoms pass their MOT?
95.0% of the 420 2007 Rolls-Royce Phantom MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 5.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2007 Rolls-Royce Phantom?
Seat belts & restraints, recorded in 1.9% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (1.7%).
Does the 2007 Phantom get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.7% in the 0-30k band to 7.3% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 420 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.