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Land rover DEFENDER - 1985

302.0 faults per 100 tests
Year average for all cars of 1985 is 240.5 faults per 100 tests
Dataset: MOT tests in Great Britain (period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-09-10) for Land rover DEFENDER, model year 1985. Sample size: 1,434 cars, 2,616 tests and 7,900 recorded faults.
0%
More faults compared to the average car of same model year

Quick summary

Total: 1,434 cars

The 1985 Land Rover Defender has an overall defect rate of 302 per 100 vehicles, which is 27% higher than the average car of the same year at 238 per 100. Notably, this model shows significantly higher issues in categories such as Steering (64% of Defenders fail compared to 31% of the average), Body/Structure (79% vs. 56%), and Equipment (33% vs. 17%). There is also a notable trend in defect rates as mileage increases, with higher percentages seen in lower mileage ranges. Overall, while the Defender excels in some areas, it faces considerable challenges in steering and structural integrity compared to its peers.

Cars by mileage segment

Total: 1,434 cars

More model years for Land rover DEFENDER

1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2020 2021 2022 2023

Other models from Land rover

Land rover 88 Land rover DEFENDER Land rover DISCOVERY Land rover FREELANDER Land rover RANGE ROVER

Categories

Brakes
▼ 9.5% worse
91.4 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 83.5 / 100 tests
  • Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
  • Brake lining or pad: worn below 1.5mm
  • Brake hose ferrules: excessively corroded
  • Brake disc or drum: insecure, fractured or otherwise likely to fail
  • Flexible brake hose: excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched
Steering
▼ 104.5% worse
63.6 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 31.1 / 100 tests
  • Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover: damaged or deteriorated
  • A steering ball joint: with excessive wear or free play
  • Steering box: leaking oil
  • Power steering fluid leaking or system malfunctioning
  • Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover: missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc.
Visibility
▼ 8.4% worse
24.4 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 22.5 / 100 tests
  • Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured: but not adversely affecting driver’s view
  • Obligatory mirror or device: slightly damaged or loose
  • Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
  • Wiper blade: missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
  • Wiper blade: defective
Lights & Electrics
▼ 12.9% worse
64.7 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 57.3 / 100 tests
  • Lamp: missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than a half not functioning
  • An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
  • Beam image obviously incorrect
  • A headlamp: missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
  • A direction indicator: lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
Wheels & Suspension
▼ 2.2% worse
164.1 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 160.6 / 100 tests
  • A wheel bearing: with excessive play
  • A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing: excessively worn
  • A shock absorber bush excessively worn
  • A tyre: with a lump, bulge or tear … or with cords exposed or damaged
  • A spring: or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
Body/Structure
▼ 41.2% worse
78.8 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 55.8 / 100 tests
  • Exhaust system has a major leak or is insecure
  • A transmission: joint, belt or chain excessively worn
  • Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that: the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced
  • Body, cab or chassis: excessively corroded at mounting points
  • Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that: the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced
Equipment
▼ 83.6% worse
32.5 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 17.7 / 100 tests
  • A seat belt:
  • Audible warning:
  • A seat belt: webbing or flexible stalk significantly stretched or weakened
  • A seat belt: or flexible stalk damaged
  • is significantly reduced or The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a ’prescribed area’): inadequately repaired
Other
▼ 60.8% worse
84.6 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 52.6 / 100 tests
  • Emissions levels exceed default limits
  • Emissions test unable to be completed
  • Fluid: leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
  • Fluid: leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
  • Exhaust emits excessive dense blue or clearly visible black smoke during acceleration which would obscure the view of other road users

Fault rate by mileage segment

Model    Year average
0 470 0–31,000 mi 31,000–62,000 62,000–93,000 93,000–124,000 124,000+
* Metric: faults per 100 tests.

Most common faults (Top 10)

Fluid: leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 1,002
A wheel bearing: with excessive play
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 358
A tyre: with a lump, bulge or tear … or with cords exposed or damaged
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 340
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 338
Brake disc or drum: insecure, fractured or otherwise likely to fail
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 249
A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing: excessively worn
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 239
A spring: or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 230
Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that: the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 220
Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover: damaged or deteriorated
MINOR
Occurrences: 163
A shock absorber bush excessively worn
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 145

Serious faults (Top 10)

The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm … is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
FAIL
Occurrences: 110
Lamp: missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than a half not functioning
FAIL
Occurrences: 95
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
FAIL
Occurrences: 91
Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover: missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc.
FAIL
Occurrences: 83
A headlamp: missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
FAIL
Occurrences: 77
An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
FAIL
Occurrences: 75
Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that: the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced
FAIL
Occurrences: 71
Body, cab or chassis: excessively corroded at mounting points
FAIL
Occurrences: 71
A direction indicator: lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
FAIL
Occurrences: 60
A shock absorber bush excessively worn
FAIL
Occurrences: 59