Used car guide

2012 Land Rover Range Rover: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2012 Land Rover Range Rovers, from 4,403 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

4,403MOT tests in 2025
74%pass first time (all 2012 cars: 63%)
8,300typical miles a year
2.8×the usual rate for rigid brake pipes

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2012 Land Rover Range Rovers than on all cars registered in 2012.

  • Rigid brake pipes2.8× usual
    Land Rover Range Rover
    15.2% All 2012 cars
    5.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.2%, against 0.8% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.

  • Engine oil leaks1.7× usual
    Land Rover Range Rover
    12.1% All 2012 cars
    7.3%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.2%, against 0.2% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £80–£600 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and where the car is usually parked for fresh oil. Ask whether the leak has been looked at.

  • Sub-frame bushes14.7× usual
    Land Rover Range Rover
    4.4% All 2012 cars
    0.3%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.2%, against 0.1% of all 2012 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.

Better than most

Coil springs: 2.9% here, against 9.6% of all 2012 cars. Track rod ends: 0.8% here, against 4.9% of all 2012 cars.

By area

The share of 2012 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
    37% 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
    31% 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
    25% 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.

  • Lights and electrics
    15% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    14% 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.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    7% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

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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%
20113,693Suspension 43%
20103,189Suspension 43%
20092,472Suspension 43%
20082,318Suspension 49%
20073,256Suspension 48%
20062,832Suspension 49%
20052,356Suspension 47%
20042,155Suspension 51%
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 2012 Land Rover Range Rovers registered in 2012. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score