2017 Land Rover Defender — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2017 Land Rover Defender passed 83.4% of its 302 recorded MOT tests. Large SUVs of a similar age fail 9.4% of the time, so this is 7.1pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 14.2% of all tests — 8.0 points clear of visibility, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, shock absorbers and wipers — headlamp aim alone was recorded 26 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 14.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 20.4% once past 120-150k.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 21.9% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 14.2% | 43 |
| 2 | Visibility | 6.3% | 19 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.6% | 17 |
| 4 | Suspension | 5.6% | 17 |
| 5 | Steering | 4.3% | 13 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.0% | 9 |
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 | Shock absorbers | 14 |
| 3 | Wipers | 13 |
| 4 | Washers | 11 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 10 |
| 6 | Ball joint | 8 |
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 | 21.9% | 66 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 17.5% | 53 |
| 3 | Suspension | 14.9% | 45 |
| 4 | Steering | 8.9% | 27 |
| 5 | Seat belts & restraints | 7.0% | 21 |
| 6 | Other defects | 6.0% | 18 |
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 | 43 | 14.0% |
| 30-60k | 70 | 10.0% |
| 60-90k | 70 | 21.4% |
| 90-120k | 45 | 13.3% |
| 120-150k | 44 | 20.4% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Defender
On a 2017 Defender, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 14.2% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (14.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (6.3% 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.
- Brakes (5.6% 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.
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 2017 Land Rover Defenders pass their MOT?
83.4% of the 302 2017 Land Rover Defender MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Land Rover Defender?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.2% of tests, followed by visibility (6.3%).
Does the 2017 Defender get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 14.0% in the 0-30k band to 20.4% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 302 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.