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23 AJL

1996 Land Rover Defender

Black Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires13 Jan 2027
Tests17 (11 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate64.7%

Mileage

184,125 mi
Last recorded184,125 miles
Recorded on14 Jan 2026
Typical for 1996 Land Rover Defender122,435 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
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Finance
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Vehicle Details

Registration23 AJL
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1996
ColourBlack
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,495cc

All premium checks include

50+ data points
Finance Check (Experian) Insurance Write-off Salvage Auction Stolen Check Previous Owners Ex-Taxi, Police, NHS Mileage Anomaly Import / Export Scrapped Check Plate Changes

MOT History

11 pass 6 fail
Pass 14 Jan 2026 184,125 miles

Nearside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Lower Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Front Lower Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Offside Rear Lower Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Offside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Fail 8 Jan 2026 183,992 miles

Central Rear Prop shaft joint excessively worn Rear propshaft, rear UJ (6.1.7 (c) (i))

Nearside Front Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Nearside Rear Upper Coil spring insecure Not seated correctly (5.3.1 (a) (i))

Offside Front Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Nearside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Lower Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Front Driver's door catch deteriorated so the door cannot be readily opened or closed (6.2.3 (c) (i))

Offside Front Lower Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Offside Rear Lower Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Offside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 7 Jan 2025 181,017 miles

Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint has slight play A frame (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 22 Dec 2023 178,667 miles

rust slight corrosion to steering, suspension, body and chassis items

Fail 20 Dec 2023 178,655 miles

Central Rear Suspension component ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Fuel tank leaking (6.1.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Oil leaking excessively from transmission hub seal (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Vehicle structure or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Pass 12 Jan 2023 171,543 miles

Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Ns & Os trail (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Vehicle underside coated in protective underseal

Fail 15 Sep 2022 171,424 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Upper Shock absorbers has an excessively worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced Chassis (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Bonnet primary retaining device slightly deteriorated (3.1 (c))

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material f & r (1.1.11 (c))

Front Inner Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Ns/Os trail (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Vehicle underside coated in protective underseal

Pass 7 Jul 2012 166,698 miles
Pass 17 Jun 2011 144,887 miles

Nearside Front Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Offside Front Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Fail 15 Jun 2011 144,887 miles

Centre Statutory seat belt missing (5.1.1)

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bearing (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Seat belt has a cut which has significantly weakened the webbing (5.2.2a)

Nearside Rear Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Nearside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Front wheel bearing has excessive play (2.5.A.3c)

Offside Rear Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

Offside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Power steering component(s) leaking (2.3.3b)

Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Front Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Offside Front Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Pass 29 May 2010 124,475 miles
Pass 20 Apr 2009 114,097 miles

Service brake: service brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.C.1a)

Pass 28 Mar 2008 110,894 miles

Coolant leak

nearside rear tyre remould & outter wall worn

oil leak rocker cover

Fail 18 Mar 2008 110,893 miles

Horn not a constant note (1.7.1e)

Horn not a continuous or uniform sound (1.6.2e)

Nearside Front brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Front Seat belt damaged sufficient to obstruct correct operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Offside Front Seat belt has a cut which has significantly weakened the webbing (5.2.2a)

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g) DANGEROUS

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1) DANGEROUS

Coolant leak

brake fluid low

nearside rear tyre remould & outter wall worn

oil leak rocker cover

spare diff size

Pass 23 Mar 2007 104,344 miles

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Fail 16 Mar 2007 104,311 miles

Offside Power steering component(s) leaking (2.3.3b)

Offside Rear reflector insecure (1.5.1a)

Power steering malfunctioning (2.3.3a)

Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated (8.2.2)

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Pass 27 Feb 2006 94,254 miles

How Reliable is the Land Rover Defender?

Based on 2,960,045 MOT tests across 181,953 vehicles.

72.3%
Pass Rate
3,550
Miles/Year
43
Year Lifespan
181,953
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush 77,499
Brake pipe excessively corroded 77,229
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 57,749
position lamp(s) not working 53,914
Stop lamp not working 52,341
Full Land Rover Defender reliability report

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23 AJL is a 1996 Land Rover Defender in Black with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 17 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 64.7%.

Across all 1996 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 69.0% with a typical mileage of 122,435 miles. This particular vehicle has a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

The most common reason a Land Rover Defender fails its MOT is shock absorber has an excessively worn bush, accounting for 77,499 recorded failures. If you're considering buying 23 AJL, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Land Rover Defender typically stays on UK roads for around 43 years. At 30 years old, this Land Rover Defender is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of 23 AJL?

You can check the full history of 23 AJL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was 23 AJL registered?

23 AJL is a 1996 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 30 December 1996.

Is 23 AJL safe to buy?

The MOT history for 23 AJL shows 17 tests with a 64.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does 23 AJL have outstanding finance?

Finance checks require a premium vehicle report. This checks against all major UK finance providers to see if there is any outstanding finance on 23 AJL. If you buy a car with outstanding finance, the finance company can repossess it.

No warranty or guarantee of accuracy is provided for any free data on this page. The data guarantee applies only to information obtained through the purchase of a full check.