Land Rover Defender Car CheckFull history check, MOT history and common problems
Free Land Rover Defender vehicle check by reg: MOT history, mileage and tax. Buying one? The full car history check shows outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, stolen markers, keepers and plate changes.
- 72% MOT pass rate
- 1,351 Defenders checked
- 23.7% of Land Rovers had outstanding finance
Land Rover Defender reg check
Full Land Rover Defender history check from £3.99
The MOT record is free, and it only shows the car's condition on test day. What a seller may not mention is in the full Land Rover Defender car check:
Of the 169 Land Rover vehicles checked with a full CarCheckUp report, 23.7% had outstanding finance recorded, 8.9% an insurance write-off record and 67.5% a number plate change.
- Outstanding finance: lender and agreement
- Insurance write-off: Cat S, N, C or D
- Police stolen marker
- High risk register
- Previous keepers and last change
- Plate and colour changes
- Scrapped, imported or exported
- Mileage anomaly check
£3.99 a report in the 5-report bundle, £11.99 for a single report; unused reports never expire. Shown on screen straight away and sent by email. No subscription. Start with the free check: you only pay for the full report.
Free Land Rover Defender MOT History and Mileage Data
What the MOT records of 991 Land Rover Defender vehicles show. The full check above covers what the MOT doesn't.
- 72%of MOT tests passedUK average 77%
- 4,000typical miles a year
- 20.1%have a mileage anomalyan MOT reading lower than an earlier one
- 15,766MOT tests analysed
- 1993–2012built (middle half)
- 93%diesel; 6% petrol; 1% hybrid electric (clean)
Land Rover Defender common problems: most common MOT failures and advisories
The defects MOT testers record most often on the Land Rover Defender, as a share of all its MOT tests (the same defect on any wheel or side counts once): the Defender's known weak points. Check these on the car you're viewing, or on your own before its next MOT.
Top 20 Land Rover Defender MOT failures
Reasons the car failed its MOT.
- Position lamp not working3.2%
- Fog lamp not working2.5%
- Stop lamp not working2.5%
- Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid2.4%
- Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively2.3%
- Brake pipe excessively corroded2.0%
- Headlamp aim too high1.9%
- Registration plate lamp not working1.9%
- Wheel bearing has excessive play1.9%
- Headlamp aim too low1.8%
Show all 20
- Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush1.5%
- Track rod end ball joint has excessive play1.4%
- Drag link end ball joint has excessive play1.3%
- Service brake efficiency below requirements1.2%
- Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases1.2%
- Direction indicator not working1.2%
- Horn not working1.1%
- Brake pad less than 1.5 mm thick1.0%
- Parking brake efficiency below requirements0.9%
- Headlamp not working on dipped beam0.9%
Top 20 Land Rover Defender MOT advisories
Wear the tester noted: not a failure yet, but money to budget for.
- Wheel bearing has slight play6.8%
- Oil leak, but not excessive5.1%
- Brake pipe slightly corroded4.4%
- Brake pad wearing thin3.2%
- Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material3.2%
- Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened3.1%
- Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush2.7%
- Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed2.0%
- Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread1.9%
- Tyre worn close to the legal limit1.9%
Show all 20
- Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush1.8%
- Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened1.7%
- Track rod end ball joint has slight play1.5%
- Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases1.4%
- Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge1.4%
- Drag link end ball joint has slight play1.4%
- Oil leak1.3%
- Coil spring corroded1.2%
- Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing1.2%
- Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A'1.1%
- Lights and indicators: 56% of failed tests
- Suspension: 39% of failed tests
- Brakes: 31% of failed tests
- Corrosion: 25% of failed tests
- Steering: 23% of failed tests
- Brakes advisory: 21% of tests
- Corrosion advisory: 20% of tests
- Suspension advisory: 19% of tests
Based on the DVSA MOT histories of all 991 Land Rover Defender vehicles with an MOT checked on CarCheckUp since April 2023 (15,766 tests, retests included). Updated 2 October 2026. Every MOT test and advisory for one car is in the free MOT history check, and our free mileage check flags a lower reading. Market-wide figures: UK Used Car Risk Report. How we calculate these figures. MOT and DVLA data: contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Land Rover Defender versions
Every Land Rover Defender version checked on CarCheckUp counts on this page, grouped by the word after "Defender" in the DVLA record. Pass rates where at least 300 vehicles were checked.
| Version | Vehicles | MOT pass rate | Top failure area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defender (no version recorded) | 850 | 72% | Lights and indicators |
Defender Hard
|
22 | – | – |
Defender SE
|
20 | – | – |
Defender HSE
|
18 | – | – |
Defender X-Dynamic
|
18 | – | – |
Defender First
|
13 | – | – |
Defender Xdynamic
|
12 | – | – |
Defender XS
|
11 | – | – |
Defender S
|
10 | – | – |
Key history checks before buying a used Land Rover Defender
All of these are in every full report, with 150+ more data points.
Outstanding finance
A Land Rover on hire purchase, PCP or a logbook loan may still belong to the lender. Buying it can lead to a dispute over who owns it. Outstanding finance check
Insurance write-off (Cat S, N, C, D)
Shows if an insurer declared the car a total loss. Cat S and N cars can return to the road, but the record lowers the value and can affect insurance. Write-off check
Police stolen marker
Checks the Police National Computer. A stolen car can be taken back, leaving you without the car or your money. Stolen car check
High risk register
Shows if a finance company, insurer or the police has registered an interest in the Defender. Find out why before you buy.
Mileage anomaly check & MOT history
Free: every MOT mileage reading compared for drops, with advisories and failures. Free mileage check
Previous keepers & plate changes
How many keepers the car has had and when, plus number plate changes that can separate a car from its history. Previous owners check
More free and full vehicle checks for a Land Rover Defender
Full Land Rover Defender car check from £3.99 a report
Finance, write-off, stolen, keepers, plate changes and 150+ data points on the Land Rover Defender you're looking at. The MOT history and mileage come free.
Check a Defender by reg → See a sample reportLand Rover Defender MOT questions
How do I check a used Land Rover Defender for outstanding finance or a write-off?
Run a full car history check on its registration. Of the 169 Land Rover Defender vehicles checked with a full CarCheckUp report, 23.7% had outstanding finance recorded and 8.9% an insurance write-off record. The report also shows stolen markers, keepers, plate and colour changes.
Is a Land Rover Defender car check free?
The MOT history, mileage anomaly check, tax and DVLA details of any Land Rover Defender are free. The full car history check (finance, write-off, stolen, keepers and 150+ data points) is paid, from £3.99 a report.
What is the most common MOT failure on the Land Rover Defender?
Position lamp not working: found at 3.2% of the Land Rover Defender MOT tests we analysed. By area, lights and indicators items appear in 56% of failed tests.
What is the Land Rover Defender MOT pass rate?
72% of 15,766 MOT tests on 991 Land Rover Defender vehicles checked on CarCheckUp were passed (retests included). The UK average across all vehicles we checked is 77%.
What are the common problems with the Land Rover Defender?
Going by its MOT records, the Land Rover Defender's most common failures are position lamp not working (3.2% of tests); fog lamp not working (2.5% of tests); stop lamp not working (2.5% of tests). The full list of the top 20 MOT failures and advisories is on this page.
What is the most common MOT advisory on the Land Rover Defender?
Wheel bearing has slight play: noted at 6.8% of tests. An advisory is not a failure, but it is wear to budget for.
How many miles a year is a Land Rover Defender typically driven?
About 4,000 miles a year (the median, from MOT mileage readings). 20.1% have a mileage anomaly: an MOT reading lower than an earlier one.