CarVerify

Free Car Check

C356 LJS

1986 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires12 Jan 2027
Tests28 (19 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate67.9%

Mileage

110,678 mi
Last recorded110,678 miles
Recorded on13 Jan 2026
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

RegistrationC356 LJS
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1986
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

19 pass 9 fail
Pass 13 Jan 2026 110,678 miles
Fail 13 Jan 2026 110,678 miles

Horn not working (7.7 (a))

Headlamp aim too far to the left (4.1.2 (a))

Pass 7 Jan 2025 104,189 miles
Pass 9 Jan 2024 97,775 miles
Pass 10 Jan 2023 92,020 miles

Nearside Front Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases Front section (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 2 Dec 2021 91,835 miles
Pass 18 Dec 2020 91,295 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pipe inadequately clipped or supported (1.1.11 (d) (i))

Prop shaft flexible coupling slightly deteriorated Front prop, rear joint. (6.1.7 (d) (i))

Fail 18 Dec 2020 91,295 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low and too far to the right. (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Rear Brake pipe inadequately clipped or supported (1.1.11 (d) (i))

Offside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. (4.1.2 (a))

Prop shaft flexible coupling slightly deteriorated Front prop, rear joint. (6.1.7 (d) (i))

Pass 12 Dec 2019 91,029 miles
Fail 11 Dec 2019 91,029 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp insecure (4.1.1 (c))

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

Pass 14 Dec 2018 90,272 miles
Fail 7 Dec 2018 90,272 miles

Horn not working (7.7 (a) (ii))

Pass 1 Dec 2017 88,935 miles
Pass 21 Dec 2016 87,720 miles
Fail 21 Dec 2016 87,720 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Pass 22 Dec 2015 85,681 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 10 May 2014 85,417 miles
Pass 20 Apr 2013 83,258 miles
Pass 14 May 2012 80,631 miles
Fail 14 May 2012 80,631 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) leaking from a joint (2.3.3b)

Pass 30 Dec 2010 105,014 miles
Pass 8 Jan 2010 103,697 miles

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

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

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

Fail 8 Jan 2010 103,697 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

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

Pass 9 Dec 2008 102,676 miles
Fail 9 Dec 2008 102,676 miles

Offside Rear Rear position lamp(s) excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)

Offside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 7 Jan 2008 101,041 miles
Fail 12 Oct 2007 101,038 miles

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

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Nearside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

Nearside Rear Trailing arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Power steering component(s) leaking (2.3.3b)

Pass 12 Dec 2005 98,251 miles

Nearside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Power steering pump has slight seepage from a component (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

C356 LJS is a 1986 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 28 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 67.9%.

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 C356 LJS, 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 C356 LJS?

You can check the full history of C356 LJS by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C356 LJS registered?

C356 LJS is a 1986 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 February 1986.

Is C356 LJS safe to buy?

The MOT history for C356 LJS shows 28 tests with a 67.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C356 LJS 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 C356 LJS. 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.