Model Reports 5 min read Updated 18 Oct 2026

Land Rover Discovery 2006: reliability & common MOT faults

In 2025, 61 in every 100 first MOTs on a 2006 Land Rover Discovery were passes. Most common reason for a fail: Individual sidelight or tail light (front).

Summary

A 2006 Land Rover Discovery passed first time about 2 in every 100 less often than the average of the 2005 and 2007 model years.

At a glance

How 6,150 first tests went in 2025.

Passed first time
61 in every 100
Did not pass first time
39 in every 1002,395 failed first-attempt tests
The typical car
19 yearsabout 161,272 miles
First tests counted
6,150

What failed most often

  1. Individual sidelight or tail light (front)19 in every 100 failed tests
  2. Suspension arm pins and bushes (rear)10 in every 100 failed tests
  3. Drive shaft joints and boots (front)9 in every 100 failed tests

How we count this. Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Only Class 4 cars on their first MOT of the year are counted. A car that fails and is fixed at the test station still counts as a fail in the first-attempt rate. These are raw results, not adjusted for age, mileage, or peer mix. The MOT does not test engine or gearbox internals.

Note:

These are patterns across 2006 Land Rover Discovery vehicles in 2025, not a prediction that any one car will have them. Faults are grouped by part of the car. They come from MOT defect codes, not manufacturer bulletins, recalls or a diagnosis of any one car.

Brakes

Four faults. The strongest is the electronic parking brake: 56 times as often as on similar cars.

Figures below are measured across the 2,390 of 2,395 failed first attempts (99.8%) that recorded an odometer reading in 2025. Mileage is needed to compare like with like.

We only list faults with at least 20 failures and a rate of about 2.0 times that of similar cars, which keeps one-off results out of the list.

Electronic parking brake

Failed on 115 first tests56 times as often as similar carsStrong evidence

What it means

An electronic parking brake is applied electronically but must still be maintained in operation by direct mechanical means. It may apply automatically in certain conditions, such as when the ignition is switched off or when the driver's door is opened. A control that is missing, defective or inoperative is Major, and so is a malfunction warning.

Handbrake efficiency below minimum (decelerometer test)

Failed on 71 first tests5.3 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

A parking brake with efficiency below the minimum requirement is graded Major, and efficiency less than half of the required value is graded Dangerous. This check applies only to vehicles whose parking brake has not already been tested as the secondary brake.

Brake performance not tested

Failed on 86 first tests3.8 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

A brake performance test recorded as unable to be tested is Major. DVSA says the result must only be used where it becomes apparent during the test that the item cannot be tested, and this could not have been identified before starting. The reason has to go in the additional information box.

Flexible brake hoses (front)

Failed on 135 first tests3.6 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

Testers reject a flexible brake hose for being excessively damaged or chafed only if it is severe enough to expose the reinforcement. Slight damage, chafing or twisting is graded Minor. A leak is graded Dangerous on a hydraulic braking system and Major on an air system, and a hose damaged and likely to fail is also Dangerous.

Also noted as an advisory

Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 166 first tests, 2.3 times as often as on similar cars.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage. Advisories count notes recorded on failed first tests only.

Body and structure

One fault: propeller shaft, 25 times as often as on similar cars.

Propeller shaft

Failed on 85 first tests25 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

A transmission shaft likely to become detached is graded Dangerous, and so is a shaft bearing likely to break up. Loose or missing securing bolts, an excessively worn bearing, or a shaft that is bent or badly damaged are graded Major. The inspection covers prop shafts, drive shafts, their couplings and bearings, and drive chains or belts, except on vehicles in a test class the manual exempts.

Also noted as an advisory

Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 35 first tests, 11 times as often as on similar cars.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage. Advisories count notes recorded on failed first tests only.

Suspension

Three faults. The strongest is the suspension arm (rear): 13 times as often as on similar cars.

Suspension arm (rear)

Failed on 145 first tests13 times as often as similar carsStrong evidence

What it means

A missing bump stop rubber is not a reason to fail a suspension arm. A component that is fractured, missing or likely to fail is graded Dangerous, and one excessively damaged or corroded is Major. On some vehicles, some highly stressed parts are thin pressed steel, and many of those have hollow box sections or up-facing areas that can collect road dirt and salt, so they get special attention.

Also noted as an advisory

Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 213 first tests, 3.6 times as often as on similar cars.

Suspension arm pins and bushes (rear)

Failed on 246 first tests6.7 times as often as similar carsStrong evidence

What it means

Pins and bushes on suspension arms fail as Major when they are excessively worn. They are graded Dangerous when likely to become detached. DVSA uses the same wording for a suspension joint.

Also noted as an advisory

Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 240 first tests, 2.7 times as often as on similar cars.

Anti-roll bar linkage ball joints (rear)

Failed on 94 first tests4.9 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

Excessive wear on an anti-roll bar linkage ball joint is Major. A joint likely to become detached is graded Dangerous.

Also noted as an advisory

Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 97 first tests, 3.1 times as often as on similar cars.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage. Advisories count notes recorded on failed first tests only.

Visibility

One fault: bonnet, 7.6 times as often as on similar cars.

Bonnet

Failed on 77 first tests7.6 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

A bonnet seriously at risk of opening inadvertently is graded Dangerous. A bonnet that cannot be safely secured in the closed position is Major, as is a primary retaining device that is excessively deteriorated, ineffective or insecure. Only primary catches, those that hold the bonnet fully closed, are inspected, and only where an open bonnet would obscure the driver's view of the road.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage.

Seat belts and restraints

One fault: seat belt mounting area (rear), 3.9 times as often as on similar cars.

Seat belt mounting area (rear)

Failed on 65 first tests3.9 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

A seat belt anchorage likely to become detached in the event of a collision is graded Dangerous. The load bearing structure near an anchorage, called a prescribed area, is Major when its strength or continuity is significantly reduced or it is inadequately repaired. Anchorage points are inspected for all seat belts fitted, except a belt with no corresponding seat.

Also noted as an advisory

Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 29 first tests, 5.1 times as often as on similar cars.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage. Advisories count notes recorded on failed first tests only.

Advisories

Other things testers noted as worn or close to failing, more often than on similar cars.

An advisory is a note from the tester about something that has not failed yet. It is an early warning, not a fail. Advisories for the faults above are shown with those faults.

Suspension rod ball joint (rear)

Noted on 23 first tests95 times as often as similar carsElevated evidence

Suspension arm ball joint (rear)

Noted on 37 first tests10.0 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

Seat belt condition (rear)

Noted on 87 first tests5.5 times as often as similar carsElevated evidence

Chassis condition (rear)

Noted on 182 first tests5.1 times as often as similar carsElevated evidence

Other suspension component pins and bushes (rear)

Noted on 22 first tests4.1 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

Transmission oil leaks (rear)

Noted on 21 first tests3.7 times as often as similar carsElevated evidence

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Counts cover advisories recorded on failed first tests only, compared with cars of the same age and mileage.

MOT pass rates

How first tests ended, and how the pass rates are counted.

Passed first time
61in every 100
Passed on the first test.
Fixed at the station
7in every 100
Failed, then fixed at the test station the same day.
Failed
32in every 100
Did not pass, and were not fixed at the test station.

First-attempt pass 61.1% of 6,150 first tests (2025): only cars that passed first time count. Official-style pass 68.2%: cars fixed at the test station also count as a pass. The 7 fixed and the 32 not fixed make the 39 in every 100 that did not pass first time.

Same model, other years

Passed first time in every 100, all tested in 2025.

406080100199520002006201020152020Older carsNewer cars
4060801002000200620102020Older carsNewer cars

Newer cars are younger, so look for a jump rather than the climb. A year earlier (2024), when these cars were a year younger, 60 in every 100 passed first time.

YearPassed first timeFirst tests
199474 in every 100523
199569 in every 100671
199672 in every 100746
199770 in every 100864
199868 in every 100927
199966 in every 1001,637
200064 in every 1001,759
200164 in every 1002,861
200265 in every 1003,652
200366 in every 1004,666
200465 in every 1005,295
200564 in every 1006,295
2006 This car61 in every 1006,150
200763 in every 1005,278
200864 in every 1004,086
200966 in every 1004,486
201070 in every 1005,608
201171 in every 1005,453
201272 in every 1006,239
201374 in every 1005,951
201477 in every 1007,006
201579 in every 1008,703
201680 in every 1009,189
201782 in every 1009,170
201885 in every 1008,001
201986 in every 1007,476
202086 in every 1005,898
202186 in every 1006,395
202287 in every 1003,933

If you are buying one

What this year's MOT record means for the decision in front of you.

Mileage makes a modest difference on a 2006 Discovery.

Of 2006 Discovery vehicles with under 129,000 miles, 65 in every 100 passed their 2025 MOT first time. With 194,000 miles or more, 60 in every 100 did.

Under 129,0001,230 tests
65
129,000–152,0001,224 tests
60
152,000–170,000 Typical car1,207 tests
59
170,000–194,0001,254 tests
61
194,000 and over1,225 tests
60

What to check at your mileage

How often each fault turned up on a failed first test, by the car's mileage. Read it as: what is likely to need looking at on a car like the one in front of you.

Under 129,000152,000–170,000194,000 and over
Individual sidelight or tail light (front)5.27.78.9
Suspension arm pins and bushes (rear)3.25.63.8
Drive shaft joints and boots (front)2.73.93.6
Brake light2.83.22.2
Headlight aim1.62.72.9

Faults per 100 first tests, by the car's mileage at the test.

When a car fails

20in every 100

of failed cars had one item to fix.

57in every 100

of failed cars had three or more items to fix.

12in every 100

of all first tests had a defect the tester marked dangerous (unsafe to drive away).

Every figure here is a first-attempt MOT rate from DVSA open data for this model line, for cars of this model year tested in 2025. Each mileage band holds a fifth of the tests. MOTs do not test engine or gearbox internals, so this is a pre-purchase checklist, not a full reliability score.

FAQs

Short answers about how to read this model-year guide.

A 2006 Land Rover Discovery passed first time about 2 in every 100 less often than the average of the 2005 and 2007 model years. In 2025, 61.1% of 6,150 first MOTs on the 2006 Land Rover Discovery passed first time (PRS: items fixed at the station the same day, counted as a fail). The official-style rate including PRS is 68.2%. Among 2,395 failed first-attempt MOT tests (test year 2025), Electronic parking brake appears more often than on similar cars (4.8% of those tests; 115 observed failures; about 56× more often than similar cars). There is no single reliability score here; this is a pre-purchase checklist built from DVSA open data, not a guarantee for any individual car.
Ranked by how often they were actually recorded, the items that most often failed a 2006 Land Rover Discovery at the first attempt were Individual sidelight or tail light (front) (19.3%), Suspension arm pins and bushes (rear) (10.3%) and Drive shaft joints and boots (front) (8.9%), each as a share of the year's failed first attempts. That is what goes wrong most often on the car. The common faults table shows a different measure: faults that are unusual compared with similar cars.
Among failed first-attempt tests we highlight patterns that appear more often than on similar cars. Top example: Electronic parking brake (4.8% of those tests; 115 observed failures; about 56× more often than similar cars). These are statistical signals, not a diagnosis of any individual car.
Electronic parking brake shows up more often than on similar cars (4.8% of those tests; 115 observed failures; about 56× more often than similar cars). That does not prove a design fault. Age, mileage, and how the car was used still matter. Treat it as a pre-purchase checkpoint, not a manufacturer service bulletin.
Common MOT problem areas for the 2006 Land Rover Discovery include Electronic parking brake, Suspension arm (rear), Suspension arm pins and bushes (rear). These are the faults that stand out compared with similar cars, not a complete list of what can go wrong on any individual car.
Advisories flag issues noted at the test and are not a fail rate. We show advisory patterns that appear more often than on similar cars among failed first-attempt tests, separate from common failure rows. Use them as early-warning checks, not as a pass/fail score.
This page highlights MOT failure patterns for the 2006 Land Rover Discovery (registration year) using UK DVSA open data for the selected test year. Patterns are compared with cars of a similar age and mileage. It is a buyer checklist from MOT defect statistics, not a full service history or manufacturer service-bulletin list.
No. MOT tests do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronic modules. Patterns here come from MOT defect statistics only and should not be read as engine or gearbox reliability scores.

About this data

How this page is built and what it can (and can't) say.

These figures come from UK MOT open data for this model year. We surface common failure patterns against similar cars, not a full reliability score, and not a pass/fail verdict on any individual vehicle.

2024 2025

What we include

UK Class 4 cars only. Normal MOT tests (not retests); first test per vehicle per calendar year; results pass, PRS, or fail.

Same-day repairs

PRS means the car failed items that were fixed at the test station and then passed the same day. We count PRS as a first-attempt fail in headline rates so same-day repairs do not hide problems.

How we compare

We compare this model year with other Class 4 cars of similar age and mileage in the same test year. This model family is left out of the peer group so the car is not measured against itself.

What this does not cover

  • MOTs do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronics; this is not a full reliability score.
  • Common faults come from MOT defect stats, not manufacturer TSBs or recalls.
  • Age and mileage matching reduces, but does not remove, differences in how cars were used and maintained.
  • If the data for a car is too thin to say anything useful, we say so rather than guess.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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