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Land Rover Defender 110 TD5 Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Land Rover Defender 110 TD5 car check

Is the Land Rover Defender 110 TD5 reliable? We analysed 618 real MOT tests across 105 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 618 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
80.7%
Typical Mileage
135,046mi
Annual Mileage
3,513mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
yrs

The Land Rover Defender 110 TD5 is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Common problems include tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, shock absorber has an excessively worn bush and parking brake: efficiency below requirements. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Land Rover Defender 110 TD5.

Land Rover Defender 110 TD5 Number Plates

Number plates registered to a Land Rover Defender 110 TD5. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

Land Rover Defender 110 TD5 Problems — What Goes Wrong?

The most common reasons a Land Rover Defender 110 TD5 fails its MOT, ranked by how often they occur. Check for these problems before you buy.

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 2
Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush 2
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 2
Ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt steering arm 1
brake application uneven 1
Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick 1

Land Rover Defender 110 TD5 Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical Land Rover Defender 110 TD5 owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
1,604 mi/yr
Typical
3,513 mi/yr
Average
4,519 mi/yr
Heavy usage
6,140 mi/yr

Land Rover Defender 110 TD5 Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all Land Rover Defender 110 TD5 MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
135,046 mi
75th Percentile
162,188 mi
95th Percentile
252,481 mi
Max Recorded
966,765 mi

How Does the Land Rover Defender 110 TD5 Compare?

MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Land Rover Defender 110 TD5 THIS CAR 80.7% 618 135,046 mi — yrs
Land Rover Discovery 72.7% 4,388,972 108,947 mi 36 yrs
Land Rover Freelander 74.7% 4,326,495 85,110 mi 28 yrs
Land Rover Defender 72.3% 2,960,045 94,788 mi 43 yrs
Mercedes-benz AMG Glb 35 Premium + 4MATIC A 89.3% 475 25,937 mi — yrs

Compared to the Land Rover Discovery (72.7% pass rate) and the Land Rover Freelander (74.7% pass rate), the Land Rover Defender 110 TD5 outperforms both on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used Land Rover Defender 110 TD5?

The Land Rover Defender 110 TD5 has an overall MOT pass rate of 80.7% across 618 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.

The most common problems on the Land Rover Defender 110 TD5 are tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (2 recorded failures), shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2), and parking brake: efficiency below requirements (2). These are the faults most likely to cause an MOT failure on this model, so check for them carefully on any test drive or pre-purchase inspection. Many are wear-and-tear items that can be budgeted for, but a car that's already failing on multiple fronts may signal neglected maintenance.

A typical Land Rover Defender 110 TD5 owner drives around 3,513 miles per year. If the car you're looking at is significantly above this, expect more wear on suspension, brakes and tyres. If it's well below, the vehicle may have been sitting unused — check for perished rubber, corroded discs and stale fluids.

Before committing to a purchase, we recommend running a full vehicle history check on the specific car. This will reveal any outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies that the seller may not disclose — and that the MOT data alone can't tell you.

Land Rover Defender 110 TD5 — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Land Rover Defender 110 TD5 reliable?
Based on 618 MOT tests, the Land Rover Defender 110 TD5 has a 80.7% pass rate — above the UK average, suggesting good reliability.
What are the common problems on a Land Rover Defender 110 TD5?
The most common MOT failures are tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, shock absorber has an excessively worn bush, and parking brake: efficiency below requirements. Check these on any test drive.
How many miles does a Land Rover Defender 110 TD5 do per year?
The typical Land Rover Defender 110 TD5 does around 3,513 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Land Rover Defender 110 TD5 last?
Lifespan data is not yet available for this model.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Land Rover Defender 110 TD5?
Yes. An MOT pass rate tells you about the model in general, but a vehicle history check reveals the specific car's finance, stolen, write-off and mileage history — things the seller may not disclose.