MOT failure data · 2025
Land Rover Defender MOT problems
Across every Land Rover Defender that failed its 2025 MOT, the defect testers recorded most often was shock absorbers has an excessively worn bush, on 4.15% of failure items. The broadest problem area was lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment at 26.58%. These are recorded defects across the model, not a diagnosis of any one car.
Most common Land Rover Defender MOT failures
| # | Recorded defect | Area | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shock absorbers has an excessively worn bush | Suspension | 4.15% |
| 2 | Position lamp not working | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 3.67% |
| 3 | Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded | Brakes | 3.2% |
| 4 | Wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively | Visibility | 2.72% |
| 5 | Component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength | Suspension | 2.43% |
| 6 | Rear fog lamp not working | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 2.31% |
| 7 | Pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn | Suspension | 2.06% |
| 8 | Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt | Steering | 2.05% |
| 9 | Stop lamp not working | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 2.04% |
| 10 | Chassis condition or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting | Body, chassis, structure | 1.89% |
Shares are of all recorded failure items for this model, so they sum to less than 100% — a single failed test often records several defects, and the long tail below the top 10 is not shown.
What this means if you are buying one
Use it as a viewing checklist. If you are looking at a Land Rover Defender, these are the areas worth inspecting and worth asking about — and worth reading the car's own MOT history for, since a defect that keeps reappearing as an advisory is a better signal than any model-wide average.
The MOT record also has hard limits: it does not check the engine, clutch or gearbox, and it says nothing about outstanding finance, insurance write-off history, stolen markers or whether the mileage is genuine. Our used Land Rover Defender buying guide covers what to check beyond the MOT.
Checking a specific Land Rover Defender?
Enter its registration for finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history.
Other Land Rover models
- Land Rover Range MOT problems
- Land Rover Discovery MOT problems
- Land Rover Freelander MOT problems
- Land Rover R Rover MOT problems
Land Rover Defender MOT FAQs
What does a Land Rover Defender most commonly fail its MOT on?
The single most recorded defect on Land Rover Defender cars failing their 2025 MOT was "shock absorbers has an excessively worn bush", appearing on 4.15% of failure items.
Does this mean my Land Rover Defender will fail?
No. This is what testers recorded across every Land Rover Defender that failed in 2025. It shows where this model tends to need attention, not the condition of any individual car. The Land Rover Defender passed 77.05% of its initial tests.
How do I see a specific Land Rover Defender's MOT history?
Enter its registration on our free MOT history check to see that car's own test results, advisories and recorded mileages.
See also: Land Rover Defender MOT pass rate · used Land Rover Defender buying guide · free MOT history check
Defect counts from the DVSA MOT Anonymised test-item data for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, failure items only — advisories and minor defects excluded), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.