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C954 RDL

1985 Land Rover Defender

Grey Diesel 2286cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires17 May 2025
Tests23 (13 pass, 10 fail)
Pass rate56.5%

Mileage

90,463 mi
Last recorded90,463 miles
Recorded on22 May 2025
Typical for 1985 Land Rover Defender122,807 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationC954 RDL
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
ColourGrey
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,286cc

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 10 fail
Fail 22 May 2025 90,463 miles

Offside Rear Brake drum contaminated (1.1.14 (b))

Offside Rear Hydraulic brake cylinder leaking hydraulic fluid (1.1.16 (b) (i))

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Service brake has no recorded effort at a wheel (1.2.1 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

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

Pass 18 May 2024 90,087 miles

Offside Front hub seal slight leak

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

Fail 18 May 2024 90,087 miles

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

Offside Front hub seal slight leak

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

Pass 5 May 2023 89,684 miles

Offside Front hub seal slightly leaking

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

Fail 5 May 2023 89,684 miles

Offside Front hub seal slightly leaking

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

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

Pass 30 Nov 2021 89,205 miles

Offside Front hub seal slight leak

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

Fail 18 Nov 2021 89,201 miles

Nearside Front Outer Track rod end ball joint dust cover insecure so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area fractured significantly reducing structural strength outrigger (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area fractured significantly reducing structural strength chassis (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Offside Front hub seal slight leak

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

Pass 20 Nov 2020 87,486 miles

Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

both front hub seals leaking

Pass 30 Aug 2019 86,066 miles

both front hub seals slightly leaking

both front tyres and offside rear tyre all slightly perished on outer walls

Pass 5 Sep 2018 83,713 miles

Steering box has seepage (2.1.1 (e) (i))

Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

corrosion to nearside rear chassis

offside rear bump stop missing

Fail 5 Sep 2018 83,713 miles

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

Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (4.7.1 (b) (ii))

Steering box has seepage (2.1.1 (e) (i))

Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

corrosion to nearside rear chassis

offside rear bump stop missing

Pass 25 Aug 2017 80,700 miles
Fail 25 Aug 2017 80,700 miles

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Pass 12 Aug 2016 78,152 miles
Fail 12 Aug 2016 78,152 miles

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

Pass 11 Aug 2015 76,348 miles

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.C.1b)

n/s rear chassis corroded just outside prescribed areas

o/s front hubseal slight leak

o/s rear bump stop missing

Pass 12 Aug 2014 74,540 miles

long brake pedal travel

Pass 21 Aug 2013 72,509 miles
Fail 21 Aug 2013 72,509 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 22 May 2012 71,228 miles

Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

advise both front tyre are cracking on the center tread and side wall and advise corrsion to chassis front to rear

Fail 15 May 2012 71,205 miles

Brake hose twisted (found during steering lock to lock check) (2.2.D.2b)

Brake hydraulic reservoir fluid level below minimum level (3.6.G.1b)

Fuel cap/sealing device sealing washer missing (7.2.4c)

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

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

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

Nearside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

Offside Front Steering component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.2.C.1h)

Offside Inner Front Brake master cylinder/servo mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (3.6.C.3)

Offside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Nearside Rear Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Service brake: service brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

advise both front tyre are cracking on the center tread and side wall and advise corrsion to chassis front to rear

Pass 13 May 2011 70,001 miles
Fail 20 Apr 2011 69,999 miles

Brake pedal creeps down when held under pressure (3.3.B.1a)

Brake pedal spongy (3.3.B.1b)

Nearside Direction indicators not working (1.4.A.2c)

Nearside Rear Rear reflector missing (1.5.1a)

Offside Direction indicators not working (1.4.A.2c)

Offside Rear Rear reflector missing (1.5.1a)

Rear Brake pump drive belt excessively deteriorated (3.6.F.1)

Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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

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

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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C954 RDL is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Grey with a 2,286cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 56.5%.

Across all 1985 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 69.3% with a typical mileage of 122,807 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 C954 RDL, 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 41 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 C954 RDL?

You can check the full history of C954 RDL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C954 RDL registered?

C954 RDL is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 19 August 1985.

Is C954 RDL safe to buy?

The MOT history for C954 RDL shows 23 tests with a 56.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C954 RDL 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 C954 RDL. 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.