1987 Land Rover Defender — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1987 Land Rover Defender passed 75.4% of its 9,722 recorded MOT tests. That is 1.2 percentage points worse than large SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 23.3%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, body, structure & corrosion and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 19.3% of tests against 9.2% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, position lamp and headlamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 608 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 20.8% in the 0-30k band and 25.5% in the 150k+ band, a 4.7-point spread.
The petrol cars hold up better: 22.4% fail against 24.9% for diesel, a 2.4-point gap across 9,711 tests.
Emissions & environmental is the most common advisory, noted on 29.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 27.1% in 2021 to 22.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 19.3% | 1,876 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 9.2% | 897 |
| 3 | Suspension | 8.9% | 867 |
| 4 | Brakes | 8.7% | 844 |
| 5 | Steering | 7.8% | 760 |
| 6 | Visibility | 6.9% | 673 |
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 | 608 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 574 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 519 |
| 4 | Rear fog lamp | 478 |
| 5 | Chassis condition | 477 |
| 6 | Washers | 441 |
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 | 29.1% | 2,826 |
| 2 | Suspension | 27.0% | 2,626 |
| 3 | Brakes | 20.5% | 1,996 |
| 4 | Steering | 18.8% | 1,825 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 17.1% | 1,665 |
| 6 | Tyres | 10.6% | 1,027 |
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 | 395 | 20.8% |
| 30-60k | 422 | 21.1% |
| 60-90k | 971 | 22.7% |
| 90-120k | 1,671 | 24.2% |
| 120-150k | 2,151 | 25.4% |
| 150k+ | 4,090 | 25.5% |
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 8,388 | 24.9% |
| Petrol | 1,323 | 22.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,920 | 27.1% |
| 2022 | 2,050 | 24.8% |
| 2023 | 2,052 | 25.1% |
| 2024 | 1,891 | 23.0% |
| 2025 | 1,809 | 22.7% |
What to check before buying a 1987 Defender
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 19.3% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (19.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (9.2% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
- Suspension (8.9% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
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 1987 Land Rover Defenders pass their MOT?
75.4% of the 9,722 1987 Land Rover Defender MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 24.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1987 Land Rover Defender?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 19.3% of tests, followed by body, structure & corrosion (9.2%).
Does the 1987 Defender get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 20.8% in the 0-30k band to 25.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 9,722 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.