Toyota Land Cruiser common problems and MOT failures

What usually goes wrong with a Toyota Land Cruiser?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Toyota Land Cruiser in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.

Common Toyota Land Cruiser MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, for each fuel on its own. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.

Diesel

• Anti-roll bar bushes and joints

  up to 14.3× usual

  Stands out on cars registered in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014.

  Rough price £100–£280 (pair of drop links) Checkatrade

  At the viewing: Drive slowly over bumps and listen for a knock or rattle from the front. Worn anti-roll bar links are a cheap fix.

• Chassis rust or damage

  up to 6.8× usual

  Stands out on cars registered in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010 and 2011.

  Rough price £150–£1,000 our estimate

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

• Anti-roll bar link bushes

  up to 5.7× usual

  Stands out on cars registered in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2014.

  Rough price £100–£280 (pair of drop links) Checkatrade

  At the viewing: Drive slowly over bumps and listen for a knock or rattle from the front. Worn anti-roll bar links are a cheap fix.

• Wheel bearings

  up to 2.3× usual

  Stands out on cars registered in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2005.

  Rough price £120–£300 (one bearing) ClickMechanic

  At the viewing: Listen for a hum or growl that changes as you steer at speed.

• Rigid brake pipes

  up to 2.2× usual

  Stands out on cars registered in 2010, 2012 and 2014.

  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.

• Handbrake performance

  up to 3.4× usual

  Stands out on cars registered in 1999 and 2001.

  Rough price £80–£300 our estimate

  At the viewing: Pull the handbrake on a slope. It should hold the car within a few clicks.

Toyota Land Cruiser MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser did best (80% passed first time, 18 points above all 2011 cars) and the 2022 did worst (90%, 1 point above all 2022 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Toyota Land Cruiser

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

1. Any recent work on the anti-roll bar bushes and joints? (Flagged at MOT 14× as often on the Toyota Land Cruiser as on other cars the same age.)
2. Any recent work on the chassis rust or damage? (Flagged at MOT 6.4× as often on the Toyota Land Cruiser as on other cars the same age.)
3. Any recent work on the anti-roll bar link bushes? (Flagged at MOT 5.5× as often on the Toyota Land Cruiser as on other cars the same age.)
4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?