CarVerify

Free Car Check

F497 DNW

1989 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2495cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires8 Sep 2027
Tests26 (15 pass, 11 fail)
Pass rate57.7%

Mileage

119,752 mi
Last recorded119,752 miles
Recorded on9 Sep 2026
Typical for 1989 Land Rover Defender127,912 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

RegistrationF497 DNW
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1989
ColourBlue
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

15 pass 11 fail
Pass 9 Sep 2026 119,752 miles
Pass 26 Jun 2019 119,621 miles
Fail 13 Jun 2019 119,616 miles

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

Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 20 Jun 2018 119,328 miles
Fail 19 Jun 2018 119,322 miles

Nearside Front Lower Axle swivel pins and bushes swivel pin and/or bush excessively worn AXLE TO BODY BUSH FRONT (5.1.2 (b) (i))

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

Offside Rear Service brake effort inadequate at a wheel (1.2.1 (a) (i))

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

Pass 15 May 2017 118,548 miles

Power steering pump has slight seepage from a seal (2.3.3b)

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

Pass 16 May 2016 116,941 miles

Nearside Front Vehicle structure has slight corrosion chassis to bumper (6.1.B.2)

Pass 12 May 2015 115,278 miles

Nearside Front Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

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

Nearside Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

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

Pass 15 May 2014 113,558 miles
Fail 30 Apr 2014 113,554 miles

Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Front Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

Fail 7 Mar 2014 113,548 miles

Front registration plate missing (6.3.1a)

Hazard warning switch faulty (1.4.B.1d)

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

Offside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

front bumper missing grill missing

Pass 18 Nov 2013 113,539 miles
Fail 4 Nov 2013 113,539 miles

Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

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

Offside Front Steering component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.2.C.1h)

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

Pass 6 Nov 2012 111,753 miles

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

Fail 23 Oct 2012 111,736 miles

Exhaust emits excessive smoke or vapour of any colour (7.4.B.4)

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

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

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

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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

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

Pass 21 Oct 2011 110,127 miles

Rear Direction indicators slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Fail 19 Oct 2011 110,127 miles

Rear Stop lamp excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.2.1d)

Rear Direction indicators slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Pass 25 Oct 2010 108,251 miles

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

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

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

Offside Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

o/s & n/s rear bump stops missing

Pass 16 Oct 2009 106,366 miles

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

Offside Power steering pump has slight seepage from a joint (2.3.3b)

Offside Power steering pump has slight seepage from a joint (2.3.3b)

o/s and n/s rear bump stops missing

Fail 14 Oct 2009 106,357 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (4.1.D.1b)

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

Offside Power steering pump has slight seepage from a joint (2.3.3b)

Offside Power steering pump has slight seepage from a joint (2.3.3b)

o/s and n/s rear bump stops missing

Pass 9 Oct 2008 104,035 miles

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

Fail 8 Oct 2008 104,031 miles

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Offside Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Pass 26 Oct 2007 101,899 miles

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

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

Offside Front Steering component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.2.C.1h)

n/s rear tyre has slight cuts in side wall

Fail 17 Oct 2007 101,895 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

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

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

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

Offside Front Steering component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.2.C.1h)

n/s rear tyre has slight cuts in side wall

Pass 18 Oct 2006 99,314 miles

Offside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Fail 16 Oct 2006 99,309 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Offside Front Seat belt damaged sufficient to obstruct correct operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

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

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Offside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

F497 DNW is a 1989 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 57.7%.

Across all 1989 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 67.8% with a typical mileage of 127,912 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 F497 DNW, 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 37 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 F497 DNW?

You can check the full history of F497 DNW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F497 DNW registered?

F497 DNW is a 1989 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 24 February 1989.

Is F497 DNW safe to buy?

The MOT history for F497 DNW shows 26 tests with a 57.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F497 DNW 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 F497 DNW. 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.