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F517 TDE

1989 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2494cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires29 Dec 2026
Tests31 (21 pass, 10 fail)
Pass rate67.7%

Mileage

19,840 mi
Last recorded19,840 miles
Recorded on29 Dec 2025
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
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationF517 TDE
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1989
ColourBlue
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,494cc

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

21 pass 10 fail
Pass 29 Dec 2025 19,840 miles

Offside Front Steering linkage ball joint ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Pass 10 Dec 2024 17,554 miles
Fail 6 Dec 2024 17,425 miles

Offside Front Seat belt webbing significantly weakened cut greater than 4mm (7.1.2 (b))

Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp missing (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Rear fog lamp switch missing (4.5.3 (a))

Pass 15 Dec 2023 13,235 miles

Offside Rear Stop lamp(s) lens defective which has no effect on emitted light (4.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Pass 19 Dec 2022 10,706 miles
Fail 12 Dec 2022 10,683 miles

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

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

Pass 3 Dec 2021 8,261 miles

Brake master cylinder/servo mounting prescribed area is damaged but not considered excessive (1.1.21 (e) (i))

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Nearside Steering linkage ball joint ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Offside Front Seat belt slightly damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 9 Dec 2020 5,931 miles

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Fail 4 Dec 2020 5,909 miles

Front Suspension rod pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Lower Coil spring mounting corroded and seriously weakened (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Towbar excessively corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.1.6 (i) (i))

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Pass 17 Dec 2019 4,036 miles

Nearside Front Inner Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

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

Oil leak, but not excessive Gearbox and rear diff. (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Prop shaft joint worn, but not excessively Both, U.J's (6.1.7 (c) (i))

Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Fail 17 Dec 2019 4,036 miles

Steering linkage ball joint ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Idler arm. (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Nearside Front Inner Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

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

Oil leak, but not excessive Gearbox and rear diff. (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Prop shaft joint worn, but not excessively Both, U.J's (6.1.7 (c) (i))

Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 18 Dec 2018 1,700 miles

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

Fail 17 Dec 2018 1,655 miles

Nearside Front Suspension rod pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Pass 14 Dec 2017 200,000 miles
Fail 12 Dec 2017 200,000 miles

Central Front Seat belt locking mechanism does not secure or release (5.2.5a)

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

Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Front Panhard rod has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Offside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Pass 5 Dec 2016 198,630 miles

Engine oil leak

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

Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 14 Dec 2015 195,894 miles
Fail 14 Dec 2015 195,880 miles

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Stop lamp adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.2.1f)

Pass 5 Dec 2014 194,813 miles
Pass 13 Dec 2013 190,013 miles
Pass 19 Dec 2012 183,877 miles
Fail 19 Dec 2012 183,856 miles

Nearside Front Lower Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Front Ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Pass 16 Dec 2011 177,542 miles

Offside Rear Coil spring mounting corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.C.3c)

Pass 10 Dec 2010 170,680 miles

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

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

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

Offside Front Shock absorber has a slightly reduced damping effect (2.7.5)

Unable to fully inspect front belts to protectors fitted

Fail 17 Dec 2009 164,756 miles

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 17 Dec 2009 164,756 miles
Pass 12 Dec 2008 158,841 miles
Pass 21 Dec 2007 152,364 miles
Pass 18 Dec 2006 146,162 miles

Rear crossmember has corrosion, but not seriously effecting it's strength near a body mount

Fail 18 Dec 2006 146,162 miles

Emissions not tested (7.0)

Rear crossmember has corrosion, but not seriously effecting it's strength near a body mount

Pass 20 Dec 2005 140,647 miles

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

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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F517 TDE is a 1989 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,494cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 31 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 67.7%.

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 F517 TDE, 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 F517 TDE?

You can check the full history of F517 TDE by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F517 TDE registered?

F517 TDE is a 1989 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 16 January 1989.

Is F517 TDE safe to buy?

The MOT history for F517 TDE shows 31 tests with a 67.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F517 TDE 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 F517 TDE. 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.