1982 Land Rover 109 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1982 Land Rover 109 passed 75.9% of its 344 recorded MOT tests. Against all cars of a similar age (18.6% fail rate), the 1982 109 comes out 5.6pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 18.0% of tests against 10.2% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, washers and stop lamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 26 times.
A 60-90k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 28.9% versus 20.2%.
Emissions & environmental is the most common advisory, noted on 26.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 23.5% in 2021 to 20.0% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 18.0% | 62 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.2% | 35 |
| 3 | Visibility | 9.0% | 31 |
| 4 | Suspension | 7.6% | 26 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 7.0% | 24 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.4% | 22 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 26 |
| 2 | Washers | 25 |
| 3 | Stop lamp | 20 |
| 4 | Individual direction indicators | 19 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 18 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 18 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emissions & environmental | 26.2% | 90 |
| 2 | Suspension | 20.9% | 72 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 14.5% | 50 |
| 4 | Brakes | 13.4% | 46 |
| 5 | Steering | 10.5% | 36 |
| 6 | Other defects | 7.6% | 26 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 84 | 20.2% |
| 30-60k | 97 | 22.7% |
| 60-90k | 142 | 28.9% |
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 231 | 25.5% |
| Diesel | 113 | 21.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 119 | 23.5% |
| 2022 | 109 | 22.0% |
| 2023 | 54 | 27.8% |
| 2024 | 32 | 31.3% |
| 2025 | 30 | 20.0% |
What to check before buying a 1982 109
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 18.0% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (18.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (10.2% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Visibility (9.0% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 1982 Land Rover 109s pass their MOT?
75.9% of the 344 1982 Land Rover 109 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 24.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1982 Land Rover 109?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 18.0% of tests, followed by brakes (10.2%).
Does the 1982 109 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 20.2% in the 0-30k band to 28.9% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 344 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.