CarVerify

Free Car Check

C159 EHW

1986 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2496cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires4 Nov 2026
Tests25 (15 pass, 10 fail)
Pass rate60%

Mileage

123,149 mi
Last recorded123,149 miles
Recorded on5 Nov 2025
Typical for 1986 Land Rover Defender124,952 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £14.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationC159 EHW
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1986
ColourGreen
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,496cc

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

15 pass 10 fail
Pass 5 Nov 2025 123,149 miles

Coil spring corroded all four springs (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Rear Prop shaft joint worn, but not excessively (6.1.7 (c) (i))

age related surface rust

Fail 24 Oct 2025 123,145 miles

Front Direction indicator not working both sides (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam both sides (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Front Headlamp not working on main beam both sides (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Front Position lamp not working both sides (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Horn not working (7.7 (a))

Offside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Rear Direction indicator not working both sides (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Rear Position lamp not working both sides (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

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

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Stop lamp(s) all not working (4.3.1 (a) (iii)) DANGEROUS

Coil spring corroded all four springs (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Rear Prop shaft joint worn, but not excessively (6.1.7 (c) (i))

age related surface rust

Pass 1 Sep 2022 123,090 miles

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

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

Nearside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear Prop shaft bearing has slight play (6.1.7 (b) (i))

Fail 22 Aug 2022 123,088 miles

Horn not working (7.7 (a))

Rear Exhaust fumes causing a danger to health of persons on board (6.1.2 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

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

Nearside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear Prop shaft bearing has slight play (6.1.7 (b) (i))

Pass 13 Jul 2019 122,217 miles
Fail 15 Sep 2018 122,177 miles

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Stop lamp(s) all not working (4.3.1 (a) (iii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 26 Aug 2017 121,140 miles
Pass 5 Aug 2016 119,016 miles
Fail 29 Jul 2016 119,016 miles

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Steering system has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel (steering box fitted) (2.2.A.1a)

Pass 24 Jul 2015 117,803 miles

all 4 tyres badly perished

Fail 23 Jul 2015 117,803 miles

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Steering system has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel (steering box fitted) (2.2.A.1a)

all 4 tyres badly perished

Pass 15 Jul 2014 116,993 miles

All 4 Tyre Sidewalls - Perished

Oil leak

Fail 15 Jul 2014 116,993 miles

All 4 Tyre Sidewalls - Perished

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

Oil leak

Pass 28 Jun 2013 115,685 miles
Fail 8 Jun 2013 115,658 miles

Centre Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside Drag link end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Rear wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.6.1)

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

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

Steering box has a significant oil leak (2.2.D.2e)

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) slightly affected by the operation of another lamp (1.1.A.3f)

Offside Rear position lamp(s) slightly affected by the operation of another lamp (1.1.A.3f)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Oil leak

front number plate cracked

offside rear hub leaking oil

Pass 8 May 2012 114,495 miles

Centre Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Fail 5 May 2012 114,424 miles

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

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

Offside Front Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Centre Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 19 Apr 2011 110,634 miles
Pass 10 Apr 2010 104,060 miles
Pass 11 Mar 2009 103,133 miles

Offside Front Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a seal (2.3.3b)

Pass 5 Mar 2008 101,512 miles
Fail 5 Mar 2008 101,512 miles

Offside Steering arm has relative movement at its fixings (2.2.B.1h)

Pass 28 Feb 2007 98,819 miles
Pass 7 Mar 2006 95,395 miles
Fail 7 Mar 2006 95,395 miles

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

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high when the centre of the headlamp is above 850mm from the ground (1.6.B3)

Offside Front Intermediate drop arm insecure (2.2.B.1a)

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Offside Front Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage (2.3.3b)

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

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

C159 EHW is a 1986 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,496cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 60%.

Across all 1986 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 68.7% with a typical mileage of 124,952 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 C159 EHW, 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 40 years old, this Land Rover Defender is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of C159 EHW?

You can check the full history of C159 EHW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C159 EHW registered?

C159 EHW is a 1986 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 31 December 1986.

Is C159 EHW safe to buy?

The MOT history for C159 EHW shows 25 tests with a 60% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C159 EHW 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 C159 EHW. 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.