2004 Toyota Land Cruiser — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 12,012 MOT tests, the 2004 Toyota Land Cruiser recorded a 75.1% pass rate. Large SUVs of a similar age fail at 25.3%, so the 2004 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 (14.3%) and suspension (13.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, rigid brake pipes and joints — position lamp alone was recorded 779 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2004 Land Cruiser fails 22.7% of the time in the 0-30k band and 26.3% at 150k+, a spread of only 3.6 points.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.9pp more often than petrol ones (25.0% vs 22.1%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 38.3% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 25.3% in 2021 to 23.0% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 14.3% | 1,721 |
| 2 | Suspension | 13.1% | 1,571 |
| 3 | Brakes | 11.0% | 1,317 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 9.8% | 1,180 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.2% | 499 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.8% | 331 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 779 |
| 2 | Rigid brake pipes | 660 |
| 3 | Joints | 588 |
| 4 | Chassis condition | 577 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 566 |
| 6 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 523 |
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 | 38.3% | 4,601 |
| 2 | Brakes | 32.8% | 3,942 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 25.1% | 3,010 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 16.6% | 1,992 |
| 5 | Tyres | 14.8% | 1,782 |
| 6 | Other defects | 10.5% | 1,260 |
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 | 22.7% |
| 30-60k | 219 | 15.1% |
| 60-90k | 735 | 17.4% |
| 90-120k | 1,998 | 23.0% |
| 120-150k | 2,948 | 25.5% |
| 150k+ | 6,056 | 26.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 11,333 | 25.0% |
| Petrol | 665 | 22.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,831 | 25.3% |
| 2022 | 2,690 | 25.2% |
| 2023 | 2,421 | 24.6% |
| 2024 | 2,173 | 25.7% |
| 2025 | 1,897 | 23.0% |
What to check before buying a 2004 Land Cruiser
On a 2004 Land Cruiser, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 14.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (14.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (13.1% 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 (11.0% 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 2004 Toyota Land Cruisers pass their MOT?
75.1% of the 12,012 2004 Toyota Land Cruiser MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 24.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2004 Toyota Land Cruiser?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.3% of tests, followed by suspension (13.1%).
Does the 2004 Land Cruiser get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 22.7% in the 0-30k band to 26.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 12,012 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.