2015 Land Rover Defender — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 37,493 MOT tests, the 2015 Land Rover Defender recorded an 87.7% pass rate. Against large SUVs of a similar age (13.7% fail rate), the 2015 Defender comes out 1.3pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 10.8% of all tests — 6.7 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, position lamp and shock absorbers — headlamp aim alone was recorded 1,948 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.2% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 23.3% once past 150k — 3.8× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 17.2% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.8% | 4,044 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.1% | 1,521 |
| 3 | Visibility | 4.0% | 1,516 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.5% | 1,311 |
| 5 | Tyres | 1.4% | 537 |
| 6 | Steering | 1.3% | 480 |
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 | 1,948 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 1,686 |
| 3 | Shock absorbers | 1,562 |
| 4 | Rigid brake pipes | 1,282 |
| 5 | Wipers | 1,159 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 1,013 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 17.2% | 6,436 |
| 2 | Suspension | 12.1% | 4,524 |
| 3 | Tyres | 7.7% | 2,874 |
| 4 | Seat belts & restraints | 6.3% | 2,351 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.0% | 1,882 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.8% | 1,800 |
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 | 12,521 | 6.2% |
| 30-60k | 14,714 | 13.2% |
| 60-90k | 6,777 | 18.0% |
| 90-120k | 2,373 | 19.5% |
| 120-150k | 756 | 19.4% |
| 150k+ | 339 | 23.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 37,158 | 12.4% |
| Petrol | 325 | 8.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 7,890 | 11.7% |
| 2022 | 7,515 | 11.8% |
| 2023 | 7,488 | 12.8% |
| 2024 | 7,283 | 12.2% |
| 2025 | 7,317 | 13.2% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Defender
On a 2015 Defender, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 10.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (10.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (4.1% 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 (4.0% 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 2015 Land Rover Defenders pass their MOT?
87.7% of the 37,493 2015 Land Rover Defender MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Land Rover Defender?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.8% of tests, followed by brakes (4.1%).
Does the 2015 Defender get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.2% in the 0-30k band to 23.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 37,493 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.