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J30 SMT

1997 Land Rover Defender

Grey Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires26 Nov 2026
Tests23 (18 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate78.3%

Mileage

128,100 mi
Last recorded128,100 miles
Recorded on27 Nov 2025
Typical for 1997 Land Rover Defender117,879 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationJ30 SMT
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1997
ColourGrey
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

18 pass 5 fail
Pass 27 Nov 2025 128,100 miles

Coil spring corroded all springs (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Fail 26 Nov 2025 128,100 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Nearside Rear Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

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

Offside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Steering box has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel (steering box fitted) arm on steering box (2.3 (a) (i))

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

Offside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed split in the tread (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Coil spring corroded all springs (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing 2010 (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Pass 12 Nov 2024 127,113 miles

Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened all discs (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Coil spring corroded all springs (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 16 Oct 2023 125,428 miles

Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened all (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Pass 30 Jun 2022 123,885 miles

Nearside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Power steering component has slight seepage from a component Both steering swivels have very slight oil leak (2.1.5 (a))

Pass 2 Jul 2021 122,050 miles

Both front steering swivels worn and slightly leaking

Nearside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Fail 29 Jun 2021 122,049 miles

Front Steering linkage ball joint has excessive play Front steering drop arm (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Nearside Front Wheel bearing has excessive play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Front Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Windscreen washer jets misaligned and not providing sufficient fluid to the windscreen Washer jet insecure (3.5 (a))

Both front steering swivels worn and slightly leaking

Nearside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

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

Pass 25 Jun 2020 120,426 miles

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

Fail 17 Jun 2020 120,423 miles

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

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

Offside Front Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

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

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

Nearside Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced Battery carrier corroded in places, still adequately supported at time of test (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

Pass 4 Jun 2019 118,866 miles
Pass 6 Dec 2017 117,997 miles
Pass 9 Oct 2017 116,046 miles

Fuel Pipe/s corroded filler neck ()

Nearside Front Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear tyre starting to feather on the inner edge of the tread pattern

Offside Front Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear tyre starting to feather on the inner edge of the tread pattern

Oil leak ()

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component steering box damp (2.3.3b)

Pass 11 Oct 2016 112,179 miles
Pass 25 Jan 2016 105,870 miles
Pass 26 Jan 2015 105,385 miles
Fail 24 Jan 2014 104,475 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too far to the left (1.8)

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) slightly discoloured (1.1.A.3e)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Pass 24 Jan 2014 104,475 miles

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) slightly discoloured (1.1.A.3e)

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

Pass 30 Jan 2013 104,214 miles

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

Fail 28 Jan 2013 104,190 miles

Service brake is causing the vehicle to swerve to the nearside (3.7.C.2)

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. (1.8)

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

Pass 24 Jan 2012 103,054 miles
Pass 27 Jan 2011 93,538 miles
Pass 25 Jan 2007 84,501 miles
Pass 27 Jan 2006 76,761 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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J30 SMT is a 1997 Land Rover Defender in Grey with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 78.3%.

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 performed better than the average for its year.

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 J30 SMT, 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 J30 SMT?

You can check the full history of J30 SMT by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J30 SMT registered?

J30 SMT is a 1997 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 21 February 1997.

Is J30 SMT safe to buy?

The MOT history for J30 SMT shows 23 tests with a 78.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J30 SMT 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 J30 SMT. 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.