Land Rover Defender
Registered from 1990 to 2026.
About this model
The Land Rover Defender is a series of British off-road cars and pickup trucks. They have four-wheel drive, and were developed in the 1980s from the Land Rover series which was launched at the Amsterdam Motor Show in April 1948. Following the 1989 introduction of the Land Rover Discovery, "Land Rover" became the name of a broader marque, no longer the name of a specific model; thus, in 1990, Land Rover renamed them Defender 90, Defender 110 and Defender 130 respectively.
From the Wikipedia article Land Rover Defender, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
What fails its inspection
Great Britain's MOT record for the 2015 2.2 diesel. 951 of 7,392 tests failed, 13%.
Better than 64% of 2015 cars. The typical one fails 15%, across 894 models with enough tests behind them to say.
| Where | Share of failures | Failed tests |
|---|---|---|
| Lights and electrics | 48% | 455 |
| Brakes | 33% | 312 |
| Suspension | 26% | 246 |
| Visibility | 23% | 219 |
| Tyres and wheels | 12% | 112 |
| Steering | 9% | 87 |
The defects inspectors cite
- A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- A shock absorber bush excessively worn
- The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
- Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
- Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
- Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
Where it stands out against its peers
- Lights and electrics: failed more often than 94% of 2015 cars — 48% of its 951 failed tests, where an ordinary 2015 car has 22%.
- Visibility: failed more often than 93% of 2015 cars — 23% of its 951 failed tests, where an ordinary 2015 car has 12%.
Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.
NHTSA's investigations are American; no European regulator publishes an equivalent record, so this section has nothing to draw on for a European car. There is no European equivalent of the service-bulletin register either.
Before you buy one
Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.
- Brakes — 33% of its failures
- Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
- A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
- Suspension — 26% of its failures
- A shock absorber bush excessively worn
- Tyres and wheels — 12% of its failures
- Steering — 9% of its failures
- Lights and electrics — 48% of its failures
- A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- Visibility — 23% of its failures
- Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
- Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
When it starts failing
At 140–160k miles this one fails 19% of its inspections, against the 20% an ordinary car of the same age fails.
| Odometer | Failure rate | Rate | Its age | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–20k miles | 5% | 7% | 1,341 | |
| 20–40k miles | 11% | 10% | 2,259 | |
| 40–60k miles | 14% | 14% | 1,750 | |
| 60–80k miles | 18% | 17% | 1,087 | |
| 80–100k miles | 21% | 19% | 517 | |
| 100–120k miles | 19% | 20% | 250 | |
| 120–140k miles | 22% | 21% | 109 | |
| 140–160k miles | 19% | 20% | 37 |
7,350 British inspections, grouped by the odometer reading recorded at the test.
Half of these have more than 40k miles on them. That is how far people drive this car, not how long it lasts.
Specification
| Year | Measured |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 3.0 diesel · 235 hp · 2496 kg · 2898 mm wheelbase · 9.0 L/100km (WLTP) |
| 2020 | 2.0 diesel · 2409 kg · 3022 mm wheelbase · 9.1 L/100km (WLTP) |
| 2010 | 2.4 diesel · 2034 kg · 2567 mm wheelbase · 10.6 L/100km (NEDC) |
Recalls
Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.
A12/01165/21
The fixing nuts which connect the exhaust downpipe to the catalytic converter may not have been tightened correctly and could loosen over time.This may cause a hot exhaust gas leak into the engine bay, increasing the risk of fire. The product does not comply with the requirements laid down in the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.
Recall of the product from end users
A12/01258/22
The pretensioner tubes might have been damaged during assembly due to a manufacturing defect of certain front seat belt pretensioners This can result in reduced or complete loss of pretension in the event of a crash and could increase the risk of injury to the occupant. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.
Recall of the product from end users
A12/01428/21
Due to an error in the assembly process, the occupant detection system (ODS) of the front passenger seat had not been installed on the seat cushion. As a result, no audible signal sounds and no warning symbol will appear on the instrument panel to warn the driver when the front passenger seat is occupied but the seat belt is not fastened.This may increase the risk of not having the seat belt fastened in the event of an accident, increasing the risk of injury. The product does not comply with the requirements laid down in the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.
Recall of the product from end users
A12/01434/22
Defective welding involving the vehicle's axle may cause the weld to break which can lead to a loss of mechanical resistance and the axle flange becoming detached, increasing the risk of an accident. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.
Recall of the product from end users
A12/01487/23
The front stabilizer does not meet specifications and is inadequate for the use on the vehicle. The road handling may be negatively affected, creating a risk of an accident. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.
Recall of the product from end users
A12/01547/23
The engines may become blocked, which can cause external oil leakage or oil transfer into the air intake system, creating a risk of fire. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.
Recall of the product from end users
A12/01932/24
The plastic used for the oil filter housing in some petrol and diesel engines can crack over time. This can cause oil leaks onto the engine and road. Leaked oil can ignite upon contact with hot engine parts, increasing the risk of a fire. Moreover, it can also create slippery sections, increasing the risk of accidents and injuries especially for two-wheeled vehicles. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.
Recall of the product from end users
A12/0208/16
Excessively brittle bolts were installed in certain fittings used for the front and rear wheel hub assemblies. There is consequently a risk of the bolts breaking which could lead to other components being damaged. This could result in the front brake disc breaking or could undermine the stability of the vehicle during braking.
Recall of the product from end users
9 more campaigns have been filed against this model. A dealer can check by VIN which apply to one car.