Land Rover Range Rover Sport common problems

By component

What wears out on a Range Rover Sport

Failure items grouped by the part behind them, with the share of failed Land Rover Range Rover Sport tests recording each. A part can carry several DVSA wordings; they are listed beneath. One failed test often lists several items, so shares do not sum to 100%.

1. 1.Tyres

   41.6% of failed tests

   Tread wears with every mile and sidewalls age and take kerb damage; the legal minimum is 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters.

   • “A tyre seriously damaged” — explained15.3%
   • “A tyre cords visible or damaged” — explained11.5%
   • “Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements” — explained7.9%
   • “A tyre seriously damaged” — explained3.7%

   Across all cars, tyres failures run at a similar rate at every age, because they are replaced on a cycle rather than wearing out with the car. How long tyres last

2. 2.Suspension bushes

   33.6% of failed tests

   Rubber bushes in arms and links perish and split with age and load; the most recorded suspension item on the test.

   • “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained13.8%
   • “A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc” — explained13.7%
   • “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained2.9%
   • “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained1.6%

   Across all cars, suspension bushes failures climb 20-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long suspension bushes last

3. 3.Bulbs and lamps

   15.5% of failed tests

   Filament bulbs simply expire; the cheapest and most avoidable failure on the test, and one of the most recorded.

   • “A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning” — explained4.7%
   • “Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning” — explained2.8%
   • “A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED” — explained2.7%
   • “A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps” — explained2.2%

   Across all cars, bulbs and lamps failures climb 15-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long bulbs and lamps last

4. 4.Brake pads and shoes

   14.1% of failed tests

   Friction material wears with use; the MOT limit is 1.5 mm and a pad that thin is close to metal on metal.

   • “a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm” — explained12.3%
   • “Brake lining or pad worn down to wear indicator” — explained1.8%

   Across all cars, brake pads and shoes failures run at a similar rate at every age, because they are replaced on a cycle rather than wearing out with the car. How long brake pads and shoes last

5. 5.Wiper blades and washers

   11.8% of failed tests

   Rubber blades harden and split within a year or two; washer jets block and pumps fail.

   • “Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen” — explained8.9%
   • “Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen” — explained1.7%
   • “Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen” — explained1.2%

   Across all cars, wiper blades and washers failures run at a similar rate at every age, because they are replaced on a cycle rather than wearing out with the car. How long wiper blades and washers last

6. 6.Brake pipes

   11.4% of failed tests

   Steel pipes under the car corrode from salt and moisture, fastest on cars kept outside in wet or coastal areas; failure is for excessive corrosion or damage.

   • “Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded” — explained11.4%

   Across all cars, brake pipes failures climb from nothing between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long brake pipes last

7. 7.Airbags

   6.9% of failed tests

   The warning lamp lit is a failure; usually a seat sensor, a connector under the seat or a clock spring.

   • “An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction” — explained6.9%

8. 8.Driveshaft gaiters

   6.0% of failed tests

   The rubber boot over each CV joint splits with age and flexing, then throws grease and lets grit destroy the joint.

   • “A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc” — explained6.0%

   Across all cars, driveshaft gaiters failures climb 21-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long driveshaft gaiters last

By registration year

Range Rover Sport problems by year

MOT pass rate for Land Rover Range Rover Sport cars by the year they were first registered, from years with at least 1,000 tests. Every car in a row is the same age, so the rate is raw. Neighbouring years differ by a year of wear — a step of a point or two is age. The step at 2018, up 4.3 points, is larger than wear explains and most likely marks a change in the cars themselves.

Last column: change on the previous year, in points. Years registered within the last three years have not yet been tested and are not shown.

Before it fails

What testers warn Range Rover Sport owners about

Advisories are the same parts a year or two earlier. Share of all Land Rover Range Rover Sport tests carrying an advisory for each.

• Tyres33.6% of tests
• Suspension bushes15.6% of tests
• Brake discs13.8% of tests
• Brake pads and shoes11.6% of tests
• Brake pipes8.0% of tests

Go deeper

The rest of the Range Rover Sport file

• Land Rover Range Rover Sport: pass rate, ranking and the full failure record
• Is a Range Rover Sport's mileage high for its age?
• Every Land Rover model compared
• Check a specific car's MOT history

Common questions

What are the most common problems with a Land Rover Range Rover Sport?

Going by what fails the MOT, tyres (recorded in 41.6% of failed tests), suspension bushes (recorded in 33.6% of failed tests), and bulbs and lamps (recorded in 15.5% of failed tests). These are the items testers actually record across 125,009 tests, not reports from owners, so they describe what goes wrong at the point where it has to be fixed.

Which Land Rover Range Rover Sport year is the most reliable?

By MOT pass rate, Land Rover Range Rover Sport cars registered in 2022 do best at 89.5% and 2006 cars do worst at 66.5%. Most of that ordering is simply age — newer cars pass more — so read the year table for steps larger than a couple of points between neighbouring years; those mark a change in the cars rather than the calendar. The largest such step is at 2018, up 4.3 points on 2017.

Is the Land Rover Range Rover Sport reliable?

Adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, the Land Rover Range Rover Sport passes 81.1% of MOTs against a national 72.3%. An MOT measures roadworthiness on the day rather than breakdowns or running costs, so this is a reliability measure in the narrow sense: how often the car meets the legal standard, and what stops it.

What should I check when buying a used Land Rover Range Rover Sport?

Start with what fails most: tyres, suspension bushes, bulbs and lamps. Then read the car's own MOT history for advisories carried year to year without repair — the model tells you what to expect, the history tells you whether this owner dealt with it.