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E3 DWT

1997 Land Rover Defender

Red Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires8 Oct 2026
Tests34 (22 pass, 12 fail)
Pass rate64.7%

Mileage

166,915 mi
Last recorded166,915 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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Vehicle Details

RegistrationE3 DWT
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

22 pass 12 fail
Pass 9 Oct 2025 166,915 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Nearside Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b))

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 19 Sep 2025 166,911 miles

Fuel tank leaking (6.1.3 (b) (i))

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

Rear fog lamp tell-tale not working (4.9.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Nearside Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b))

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 19 Sep 2024 163,977 miles

Nearside Seat belt slightly damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 19 Sep 2024 163,976 miles

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

Nearside Seat belt slightly damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 19 Sep 2023 161,083 miles

Nearside Seat belt slightly damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

Fail 15 Sep 2023 161,082 miles

Nearside Drag link end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

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

Nearside Seat belt slightly damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

Nearside Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Rear position lamp lenses slightly discoloured

Pass 13 Sep 2022 159,210 miles
Fail 2 Sep 2022 159,198 miles

Front Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Brake servo inoperative (1.1.10 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Lower Steering column attachment defective to the extent that there is a serious risk of detachment (2.2.2 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Nearside Rear Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 7 Sep 2021 156,241 miles
Fail 1 Sep 2021 156,208 miles

Nearside Front Drag link end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

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

Rear fog lamp does not emit a steady red light (4.5.4 (a))

Rear fog lamp switch not operating in accordance with the requirements (4.5.3 (a))

Items removed from driver's view prior to test sat nav ()

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

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

Pass 4 Sep 2020 153,354 miles
Fail 2 Sep 2020 153,314 miles

Nearside Drag link end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt rear bar (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush lower bush (5.3.2 (c))

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt front bar (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Offside Front Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush lower bush (5.3.2 (c))

Pass 30 Aug 2019 146,685 miles
Pass 16 Aug 2018 137,128 miles
Fail 14 Aug 2018 137,127 miles

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

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

Rear fog lamp switch not operating in accordance with the requirements (4.5.3 (a) (i))

Pass 15 Aug 2017 125,993 miles
Fail 10 Aug 2017 125,989 miles

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

Offside Front Torque/reaction arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front front brake excessively fluctuating (3.7.B.3)

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

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 4 Aug 2016 118,876 miles
Fail 3 Aug 2016 118,876 miles

Offside Side repeater not working (1.4.A.2c)

Pass 4 Aug 2015 116,668 miles
Pass 9 Mar 2015 114,903 miles

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 14 Feb 2014 106,092 miles
Pass 1 Feb 2013 98,279 miles
Pass 20 Feb 2012 89,182 miles
Pass 7 Jan 2011 87,881 miles
Pass 11 Jan 2010 85,192 miles
Pass 28 Aug 2009 83,998 miles
Fail 19 Aug 2009 83,998 miles

Offside Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

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

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

Pass 5 Sep 2008 77,175 miles
Fail 4 Sep 2008 77,175 miles

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

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

Offside Inner Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

Pass 18 Aug 2007 69,828 miles
Fail 25 Aug 2006 61,790 miles

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 25 Aug 2006 61,790 miles
Pass 22 Aug 2005 54,217 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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E3 DWT is a 1997 Land Rover Defender in Red with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 34 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 64.7%.

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 E3 DWT, 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 E3 DWT?

You can check the full history of E3 DWT by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was E3 DWT registered?

E3 DWT is a 1997 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 26 August 1997.

Is E3 DWT safe to buy?

The MOT history for E3 DWT shows 34 tests with a 64.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does E3 DWT 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 E3 DWT. 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.