2003 Toyota Land Cruiser — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2003 Toyota Land Cruiser passed 75.6% of its 9,446 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as large SUVs of a similar age (25.3% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (13.8%) and suspension (11.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are chassis condition, position lamp and component mounting prescribed areas — chassis condition alone was recorded 532 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 25.8% versus 13.6%.
Fuel type barely separates them — diesel fails 24.3% of the time against 24.9% for petrol.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 39.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.8% | 1,306 |
| 2 | Suspension | 11.7% | 1,107 |
| 3 | Brakes | 10.7% | 1,008 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 10.1% | 956 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.9% | 364 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 2.9% | 277 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chassis condition | 532 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 503 |
| 3 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 484 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 403 |
| 5 | Joints | 390 |
| 6 | Rigid brake pipes | 386 |
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 | 39.7% | 3,749 |
| 2 | Brakes | 29.9% | 2,826 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 24.6% | 2,328 |
| 4 | Tyres | 15.2% | 1,432 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 14.8% | 1,402 |
| 6 | Other defects | 11.3% | 1,068 |
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 | 44 | 13.6% |
| 30-60k | 149 | 14.8% |
| 60-90k | 558 | 20.6% |
| 90-120k | 1,290 | 21.7% |
| 120-150k | 2,317 | 24.5% |
| 150k+ | 5,074 | 25.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 8,695 | 24.3% |
| Petrol | 751 | 24.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,277 | 25.1% |
| 2022 | 2,144 | 25.0% |
| 2023 | 1,882 | 23.1% |
| 2024 | 1,653 | 24.0% |
| 2025 | 1,490 | 24.6% |
What to check before buying a 2003 Land Cruiser
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 13.8% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (13.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (11.7% 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 (10.7% 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 2003 Toyota Land Cruisers pass their MOT?
75.6% of the 9,446 2003 Toyota Land Cruiser MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 24.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2003 Toyota Land Cruiser?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.8% of tests, followed by suspension (11.7%).
Does the 2003 Land Cruiser get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 13.6% in the 0-30k band to 25.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 9,446 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.