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F52 JAO

1989 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires10 Oct 2026
Tests13 (8 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate61.5%

Mileage

133,242 mi
Last recorded133,242 miles
Recorded on4 Oct 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
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationF52 JAO
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1989
ColourBlue
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,495cc

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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

8 pass 5 fail
Pass 4 Oct 2025 133,242 miles
Pass 11 Oct 2024 120,776 miles
Pass 6 Aug 2010 120,176 miles
Fail 4 Aug 2010 120,174 miles

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

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

Offside Rear Vehicle structure excessively corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.6.6)

Rear Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Pass 15 Jul 2009 119,048 miles

Offside Front brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

Propshaft component defective

chassis corroded

Fail 8 Jul 2009 119,046 miles

Nearside Front Side repeater not working (1.4.A.2c)

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

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

Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

Offside Front brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

Propshaft component defective

chassis corroded

Pass 18 Jul 2008 117,560 miles

Front brakes 25% out of balance

N/S/R Hub oil seal appears to be leaking oil in to rear hub

Offside Front brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

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

Fail 2 Jul 2008 117,557 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Rear reflector missing (1.5.1a)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Power steering malfunctioning (2.3.3a)

Rear registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

Steering column universal joint has excessive play (2.1.5)

Brake pedal anti-slip provision missing (3.3.A.1b) DANGEROUS

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

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

Offside Front brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

Pass 28 Jun 2007 115,964 miles
Fail 22 Jun 2007 115,959 miles

Front Track rod end seriously misaligned (2.2.C.1b)

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.C.1b)

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Pass 12 May 2006 113,928 miles
Fail 12 May 2006 113,928 miles

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

Pass 12 May 2005 112,192 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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F52 JAO is a 1989 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 13 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 61.5%.

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 F52 JAO, 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 F52 JAO?

You can check the full history of F52 JAO by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F52 JAO registered?

F52 JAO is a 1989 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 6 April 1989.

Is F52 JAO safe to buy?

The MOT history for F52 JAO shows 13 tests with a 61.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F52 JAO 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 F52 JAO. 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.