CarVerify

Free Car Check

L490 SUA

1994 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2495cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires23 Feb 2027
Tests31 (16 pass, 15 fail)
Pass rate51.6%

Mileage

231,718 mi
Last recorded231,718 miles
Recorded on24 Feb 2026
Typical for 1994 Land Rover Defender120,267 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationL490 SUA
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1994
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

16 pass 15 fail
Pass 24 Feb 2026 231,718 miles

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

Offside Front Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b))

revers light not working

Pass 30 Apr 2025 226,547 miles

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

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Fail 30 Apr 2025 226,547 miles

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

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (4.7.1 (b) (ii))

Pass 1 May 2024 217,833 miles
Fail 1 May 2024 217,833 miles

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

Pass 2 May 2023 209,088 miles

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

Pass 26 Apr 2022 199,764 miles

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

Fail 26 Apr 2022 199,764 miles

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

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

Pass 12 May 2021 189,673 miles

Headlamp switch does not immediately illuminate all dipped beam headlamps (4.1.3 (a))

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

Fail 12 May 2021 189,668 miles

Horn not working (7.7 (a) (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 Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Rear Other passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.3 (a))

Headlamp switch does not immediately illuminate all dipped beam headlamps (4.1.3 (a))

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

Pass 14 May 2020 178,344 miles
Fail 14 May 2020 178,344 miles

Rear fog lamp switch missing (4.5.3 (a) (ii))

Pass 25 Feb 2015 167,599 miles
Fail 25 Feb 2015 167,599 miles

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 7 Mar 2014 158,048 miles
Fail 26 Feb 2014 158,028 miles

Nearside Rear brake disc contaminated by oil (3.5.1h)

Offside Front Seat belt damaged sufficient to significantly weakened the webbing (5.2.2a)

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

Pass 4 Mar 2013 148,567 miles
Fail 21 Feb 2013 148,522 miles

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear brake disc contaminated by oil (3.5.1h)

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

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

Offside Outer Front Lower Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Air filter box security

Centre Rear Upper Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Nearside Front Tie bar/rod rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Offside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Oil leak

Fail 28 Jan 2013 148,472 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Front Axle king pin has excessive play in pin and/or bush adversely affecting the steering (2.5.A.3a)

Offside Front Axle king pin is loose in the axle beam (2.5.A.3a)

Steering box has relative movement between sector shaft and the drop arm (2.2.B.1b)

Pass 31 Oct 2011 133,621 miles

Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Fail 31 Oct 2011 133,620 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Fail 10 Oct 2011 132,900 miles

Hazard warning tell tale not working correctly (1.4.B.1e)

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

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

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

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

Nearside Rear brake disc contaminated by oil (3.5.1h) DANGEROUS

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

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

Rear chassi corroding

Pass 28 Oct 2010 120,464 miles
Fail 25 Oct 2010 120,462 miles

Brake pedal spongy (3.3.B.1b)

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

Headlamp switch faulty (1.7.1)

Position lamp switch faulty (1.1.A.1)

front brake pads appear low

Propshaft component defective

Pass 19 Oct 2009 114,242 miles

Exhaust noisy (7.1.4)

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

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

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Fail 22 Sep 2009 114,216 miles

Centre Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Nearside Front Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Nearside Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

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

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

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

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

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

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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

Rear Exhaust has part of the system excessively deteriorated (7.1.1a)

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

Pass 8 Sep 2008 108,436 miles

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

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

Pass 10 Sep 2007 103,393 miles
Fail 5 Sep 2007 103,393 miles

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

Front Drive shaft uj which forms part of the suspension has excessive play in a universal joint (2.4.G.4b)

Offside Rear Axle has inadequate clearance with the bump stop (2.4.A.1a)

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

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

Pass 1 Aug 2006 95,659 miles

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

Nearside Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

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

n/s/r seat belt removed. †o/s/f headlamp on limit

Fail 1 Aug 2006 95,659 miles

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

Nearside Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

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

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

n/s/r seat belt removed. †o/s/f headlamp on limit

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

L490 SUA is a 1994 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 31 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 51.6%.

Across all 1994 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 68.3% with a typical mileage of 120,267 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 L490 SUA, 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 32 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 L490 SUA?

You can check the full history of L490 SUA by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was L490 SUA registered?

L490 SUA is a 1994 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 31 December 1994.

Is L490 SUA safe to buy?

The MOT history for L490 SUA shows 31 tests with a 51.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does L490 SUA 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 L490 SUA. 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.