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A3 CFD

1997 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires1 Sep 2026
Tests19 (13 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate68.4%

Mileage

120,516 mi
Last recorded120,516 miles
Recorded on2 Sep 2025
Typical for 1997 Land Rover Defender117,879 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
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Finance
Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationA3 CFD
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1997
ColourGreen
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

13 pass 6 fail
Pass 2 Sep 2025 120,516 miles

Headlamp switch does not immediately illuminate all main beam headlamps (4.1.3 (a))

Pass 30 Aug 2024 119,720 miles
Pass 17 Aug 2023 118,879 miles
Fail 9 Aug 2023 118,872 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension component pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Steering linkage ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 30 May 2022 118,331 miles
Pass 13 Jul 2021 117,140 miles
Pass 23 Sep 2020 116,746 miles
Pass 2 Aug 2019 116,554 miles

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Fail 24 Jul 2019 116,544 miles

Nearside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Steering linkage ball joint ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 11 May 2018 114,709 miles
Fail 7 May 2018 114,667 miles

Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 7 Apr 2017 110,890 miles
Fail 30 Mar 2017 110,873 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Offside Front Ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 24 Mar 2016 107,230 miles
Pass 7 Oct 2014 106,899 miles

Nearside Inner Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

chassis is corroded

front propshaft u/j badly worn

Pass 30 Sep 2009 102,349 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Nearside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

both rear seats removed from vehicle presentation of retest seat belts missing

nearside front mirror missing

nearside rear tyre has cut on outer sidewall

Fail 26 Sep 2009 102,308 miles

Nearside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Offside Obligatory mirror seriously damaged, affecting the rear view (8.1.2a)

Offside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Rear Statutory seat belt of the wrong type. (5.1.1)

Driver's seat insecure (6.2.A.1) DANGEROUS

Front passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.B.1b) DANGEROUS

Front passenger seat insecure (6.2.3) DANGEROUS

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f) DANGEROUS

Rear Seat belt has a cut which has significantly weakened the webbing (5.2.2a) DANGEROUS

Windscreen has damage to the swept area in excess of a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d) DANGEROUS

Nearside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

nearside rear tyre has cut on outer sidewall

nearside wing mirror insecure

Pass 18 May 2007 93,956 miles

Front coil spring worn (2.4.C.1b)

Nearside Front brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

Nearside Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

chasssis corroded not holed

coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

coolant cap missing

nearside front axle bush deteriorated not excessive & no play found

offside & nearside front hub seals swet

steering arm at steering box protective rubber split

water leak

Fail 19 Apr 2007 93,956 miles

Brake performance not tested (3.7.A.1)

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

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

Nearside Rear Tie bar/rod has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Body has a sharp edge caused by corrosion (6.1.C.1) DANGEROUS

Front Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated (8.2.2) DANGEROUS

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

Nearside Rear brake disc excessively scored (3.5.1h) DANGEROUS

Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b) DANGEROUS

Front coil spring worn (2.4.C.1b)

Nearside Front brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

Nearside Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

chassis corroded not holed

coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

coolant cap missing

nearside front axle bush deteriorated no play found

nearside front door handle defecting

offside front & nearside front hub seals leaking

steering arm at steering box protective rubber split

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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A3 CFD is a 1997 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 68.4%.

Across all 1997 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 69.5% with a typical mileage of 117,879 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 A3 CFD, 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 29 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 A3 CFD?

You can check the full history of A3 CFD by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was A3 CFD registered?

A3 CFD is a 1997 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 27 February 1997.

Is A3 CFD safe to buy?

The MOT history for A3 CFD shows 19 tests with a 68.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does A3 CFD 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 A3 CFD. 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.