The MOT Files

Known faults, from the test record

Land Rover Range Rover Velar common problems

What fails on the Land Rover Range Rover Velar at MOT, which parts are behind it, and how each model year compares. From 36,852 DVSA test records.

Data updated

Quick answer

The Land Rover Range Rover Velar's most common MOT problems are tyres, wiper blades and washers, brake pads and shoes, recorded in 51.6%, 21.7% and 14.7% of failed tests respectively. By model year, 2021 cars pass most often (86.2%) and 2017 cars least (82.5%), though most of that gap is age. Every figure here is what testers recorded, not what owners reported.

A “common problems” list is usually a forum thread: whoever had the worst day writes the longest post. This one is built the other way, from every Land Rover Range Rover Velar that took an MOT last year and what the tester wrote down. It cannot see breakdowns, electrical gremlins or a gearbox that hunts, because the test does not check those. What it can see, it sees across 36,852 cars.

By component

What wears out on a Range Rover Velar

Failure items grouped by the part behind them, with the share of failed Land Rover Range Rover Velar 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

    51.6% 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” — explained19.3%
    • “Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements” — explained19.0%
    • “A tyre cords visible or damaged” — explained5.5%
    • “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.Wiper blades and washers

    21.7% 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” — explained17.6%
    • “Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen” — explained2.4%
    • “Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen” — explained1.3%
    • “Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen” — explained0.5%

    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

  3. 3.Brake pads and shoes

    14.7% 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” — explained12.2%
    • “Brake lining or pad worn down to wear indicator” — explained2.5%

    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

  4. 4.Engine management

    12.6% of failed tests

    The MIL lamp lit is a failure in itself, whatever the stored code; the fault codes section explains what lies behind it.

    • “Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction” — explained8.9%
    • “Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction” — explained3.7%

  5. 5.Ball joints

    11.8% of failed tests

    Steering and suspension ball joints wear internally and their dust covers split; excessive play fails.

    • “A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play” — explained11.1%
    • “A steering ball joint worn to the extent there is a serious risk of detachment” — explained0.6%

    Across all cars, ball joints failures climb 28-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 12–14 years. How long ball joints last

  6. 6.Brake discs

    5.9% of failed tests

    Discs thin with each pad set and pit or corrode when lightly used; failure is for significant wear, fracture or insecurity, advisory for surface condition.

    • “Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn” — explained3.5%
    • “Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured” — explained1.4%
    • “Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution.” — explained1.0%

    Across all cars, brake discs failures climb 3-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 12–14 years. How long brake discs last

  7. 7.Steering rack and column

    5.6% of failed tests

    Rack gaiters split and let dirt in; the rack itself and the column are rarely the failing part.

    • “Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc” — explained4.3%
    • “Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc” — explained1.2%

  8. 8.Registration plates

    5.0% of failed tests

    Plates fade, crack and delaminate; non-standard fonts and spacing fail regardless of condition.

    • “Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements” — explained5.0%

By registration year

Range Rover Velar problems by year

MOT pass rate for Land Rover Range Rover Velar 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. No single step here is large enough to point at a generation change.

201783%
201884%+1.4
201984%−0.4
202086%+2.2
202186%+0.4
202285%−1.3

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 Velar owners about

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

Go deeper

The rest of the Range Rover Velar file

Common questions

What are the most common problems with a Land Rover Range Rover Velar?
Going by what fails the MOT, tyres (recorded in 51.6% of failed tests), wiper blades and washers (recorded in 21.7% of failed tests), and brake pads and shoes (recorded in 14.7% of failed tests). These are the items testers actually record across 36,852 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 Velar year is the most reliable?
By MOT pass rate, Land Rover Range Rover Velar cars registered in 2021 do best at 86.2% and 2017 cars do worst at 82.5%. 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.
Is the Land Rover Range Rover Velar reliable?
The Land Rover Range Rover Velar passes 84.4% of MOTs unadjusted; its fleet is too narrow in age or mileage for a fair national comparison. 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 Velar?
Start with what fails most: tyres, wiper blades and washers, brake pads and shoes. 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.

Analysis built from DVSA data of