Used car guide

2004 Land Rover Range Rover: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2004 Land Rover Range Rovers, from 2,155 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

2,155MOT tests in 2025
68%pass first time (all 2004 cars: 58%)
6,700typical miles a year
2.2×the usual rate for suspension arm bushes and joints

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2004 Land Rover Range Rovers than on all cars registered in 2004.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints2.2× usual
    Land Rover Range Rover
    20.8% All 2004 cars
    9.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 5%, against 2% of all 2004 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

  • Sub-frame2.5× usual
    Land Rover Range Rover
    15.7% All 2004 cars
    6.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.9%, against 0.3% of all 2004 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

  • Sub-frame bushes10.6× usual
    Land Rover Range Rover
    5.3% All 2004 cars
    0.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.2%, against 0.1% of all 2004 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

  • Drive shaft (CV) joints1.7× usual
    Land Rover Range Rover
    11.5% All 2004 cars
    6.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.5%, against 2.9% of all 2004 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £60–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: Drive slowly on full steering lock in both directions and listen for clicking. Look for split rubber boots behind the front wheels.

  • Body structure rust or damage2× usual
    Land Rover Range Rover
    6.8% All 2004 cars
    3.4%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.5%, against 1% of all 2004 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £150–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath and along the sills for flaky rust or fresh underseal hiding it.

Better than most

Headlights: 1.5% here, against 13.7% of all 2004 cars. Exhaust system: 2.9% here, against 9.7% of all 2004 cars.

By area

The share of 2004 Land Rover Range Rover MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    51% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Brakes
    40% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Tyres
    23% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    21% of testsRough price £80–£600

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.

  • Lights and electrics
    20% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Rust and bodywork
    15% of testsRough price £150–£1,000

    At the viewing: Check the sills, wheel arches and underneath for rust, and look along the panels for uneven gaps or paint.

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20224,884Tyres 21%
20213,203Tyres 17%
20203,537Tyres 19%
20194,778Tyres 20%
20185,252Tyres 19%
20175,310Brakes 21%
20165,338Brakes 23%
20156,042Tyres 21%
20145,624Brakes 24%
20138,949Tyres 26%
20124,403Suspension 37%
20113,693Suspension 43%
20103,189Suspension 43%
20092,472Suspension 43%
20082,318Suspension 49%
20073,256Suspension 48%
20062,832Suspension 49%
20052,356Suspension 47%
20031,597Suspension 50%
20021,062Suspension 46%
20011,090Suspension 37%
2000839Suspension 41%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2004 Land Rover Range Rovers registered in 2004. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score