1999 Toyota Land Cruiser — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 5,865 MOT tests, the 1999 Toyota Land Cruiser recorded a 75.7% pass rate. Large SUVs of a similar age fail at 24.7%, so the 1999 Land Cruiser sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (14.6%) and suspension (11.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, chassis condition and headlamp aim — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 393 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 11.5% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 26.1% once past 150k — 2.3× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.3pp more often than petrol ones (24.6% vs 22.3%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 39.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 25.5% in 2021 to 23.2% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 14.6% | 857 |
| 2 | Suspension | 11.9% | 700 |
| 3 | Brakes | 11.9% | 699 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 9.7% | 569 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.2% | 245 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 2.9% | 169 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 393 |
| 2 | Chassis condition | 343 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 313 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 307 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 281 |
| 6 | Prescribed areas | 231 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 39.8% | 2,336 |
| 2 | Brakes | 31.5% | 1,845 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 24.4% | 1,434 |
| 4 | Other defects | 15.6% | 916 |
| 5 | Tyres | 14.4% | 842 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 12.4% | 726 |
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 | 52 | 11.5% |
| 60-90k | 183 | 14.8% |
| 90-120k | 700 | 20.6% |
| 120-150k | 1,079 | 22.2% |
| 150k+ | 3,833 | 26.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 5,005 | 24.6% |
| Petrol | 856 | 22.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,430 | 25.5% |
| 2022 | 1,316 | 23.9% |
| 2023 | 1,155 | 24.5% |
| 2024 | 1,012 | 23.7% |
| 2025 | 952 | 23.2% |
What to check before buying a 1999 Land Cruiser
On a 1999 Land Cruiser, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 14.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (14.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (11.9% 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 (11.9% 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.
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 1999 Toyota Land Cruisers pass their MOT?
75.7% of the 5,865 1999 Toyota Land Cruiser MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 24.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1999 Toyota Land Cruiser?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.6% of tests, followed by suspension (11.9%).
Does the 1999 Land Cruiser get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.5% in the 30-60k band to 26.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 5,865 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.