2012 · 12 years old at test · Diesel mostly

2012 Land Rover Discovery MOT pass rate and common faults

6,777 MOT tests in 2024. 72.8% passed first time, compared with 64.3% for all cars the same age.

113Well above average
Passed first time72.8%
Failed or needed repairs27.2%
Typical mileage at test119,000

Most common reasons for failing

Share of all 6,777 tests where this item caused a failure.

  1. Suspension arms - pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn6.1%
  2. Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded2.3%
  3. Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt2.2%
  4. Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1.9%
    200 marked dangerous
  5. Prop shaft: bearing excessively worn1.7%
  6. Tyres - condition: has ply or cords exposed1.6%
    171 marked dangerous
  7. Tyres - condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords1.5%
  8. Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1.4%
    158 marked dangerous
  9. Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps1.4%
  10. Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction1.3%

Problem areas

Failure items found per 100 tests, by part of the car.

  1. Brakes11.5%
  2. Suspension11.4%
  3. Lights & electrics9.9%
  4. Body & chassis6.4%
  5. Tyres5.6%
  6. Visibility (wipers, screen, mirrors)3.2%
  7. Emissions & leaks1.8%
  8. Steering1.0%

Most common advisories

Not failures yet, but things the tester warned about.

  1. Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm16.7%
  2. Suspension arms - pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn15.2%
  3. Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded14.0%
  4. Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick8.8%
  5. Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened6.1%

What this means if you are buying one

This model year does better than most cars its age, so it is a reasonable used buy on MOT record alone. Before buying, check the area that fails most: suspension arms - pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn. Then look up the car's own MOT history on GOV.UK with its number plate, and look for repeat advisories.

← 2011 DiscoveryAll Discovery years2013 Discovery →

Questions

What is the MOT pass rate for a 2012 Land Rover Discovery?

In 2024, 72.8% of 2012 Land Rover Discovery cars passed their MOT first time, across 6,777 tests. The average for all 12-year-old cars was 64.3%.

What are the most common MOT failures on a 2012 Land Rover Discovery?

The most common failure reasons were suspension arms - pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn; rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded; joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt. The biggest problem area was brakes.

Is the 2012 Land Rover Discovery reliable at MOT time?

Its MOT Rank score is 113, which is well above average for a car of its age (100 means exactly average).