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B21 URK

1997 Land Rover Defender

Red Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires15 Oct 2026
Tests31 (20 pass, 11 fail)
Pass rate64.5%

Mileage

290,332 mi
Last recorded290,332 miles
Recorded on9 Oct 2025
Typical for 1997 Land Rover Defender117,879 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationB21 URK
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1997
ColourRed
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

20 pass 11 fail
Pass 9 Oct 2025 290,332 miles
Pass 16 Oct 2024 287,169 miles

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

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

Fail 2 Sep 2024 287,169 miles

Nearside Front Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced floor (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced central floor (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

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

Pass 18 Oct 2022 285,237 miles

Nearside Integral body structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security floor pan (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Pass 11 Nov 2021 282,233 miles

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

Pass 13 Nov 2020 278,234 miles

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

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

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

Pass 12 Nov 2019 273,409 miles

Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

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

Fail 12 Nov 2019 273,409 miles

Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

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

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 1 Nov 2018 263,478 miles

Front Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

Pass 13 Nov 2017 253,588 miles
Fail 9 Nov 2017 253,576 miles

Battery insecure floor rusty (1.9.1)

Brake vacuum build up too slow (3.3.E.6)

Offside Front Drag link end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 1 Nov 2016 245,561 miles
Fail 31 Oct 2016 245,548 miles

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

Centre Rear Vehicle structure has an unsatisfactory modification, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Offside Rear Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Pass 19 Oct 2015 233,124 miles
Fail 15 Oct 2015 233,125 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

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

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Axle swivel joint has excessive play in a swivel pin (2.5.A.3b)

Pass 13 Nov 2014 221,624 miles
Fail 10 Nov 2014 221,624 miles

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

Inner Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Nearside Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Pass 31 Oct 2013 208,429 miles

Offside Front Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Fail 29 Oct 2013 208,429 miles

Nearside Front Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside Front Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside Front Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Pass 3 Nov 2012 197,734 miles
Pass 27 Oct 2011 188,534 miles
Pass 15 Nov 2010 176,696 miles
Fail 4 Nov 2010 176,696 miles

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion which adversely affects braking or steering (6.1.A.1)

Rear Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Pass 12 Nov 2009 165,528 miles
Fail 12 Nov 2009 165,528 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Pass 24 Oct 2008 146,662 miles
Fail 23 Oct 2008 146,662 miles

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Pass 24 Oct 2007 124,890 miles
Pass 16 Nov 2006 107,443 miles
Fail 16 Nov 2006 107,443 miles

Exhaust emits an excessive level of metered smoke for a turbo charged engine (7.4.B.3b)

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Pass 16 Nov 2005 90,446 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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B21 URK is a 1997 Land Rover Defender in Red with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 31 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 64.5%.

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 B21 URK, 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 B21 URK?

You can check the full history of B21 URK by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was B21 URK registered?

B21 URK is a 1997 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is B21 URK safe to buy?

The MOT history for B21 URK shows 31 tests with a 64.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does B21 URK 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 B21 URK. 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.