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M197 THL

1994 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires28 Sep 2027
Tests25 (15 pass, 10 fail)
Pass rate60%

Mileage

180,449 mi
Last recorded180,449 miles
Recorded on25 Sep 2026
Typical for 1994 Land Rover Defender120,267 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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Vehicle Details

RegistrationM197 THL
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

15 pass 10 fail
Pass 25 Sep 2026 180,449 miles

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

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

Offside Front Wheel bearing slightly noisy (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear 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))

Rear Prop shaft joint worn, but not excessively Rear UJ (6.1.7 (c) (i))

Steering box leaking oil (2.1.1 (e) (i))

Steering box slight play between sector shaft and the drop arm (2.1.3 (a) (ii))

Pass 29 Sep 2025 174,492 miles

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

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

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

Steering box leaking oil (2.1.1 (e) (i))

Steering box slight play between sector shaft and the drop arm (2.1.3 (a) (ii))

Fail 29 Sep 2025 174,492 miles

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

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

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

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

Steering box leaking oil (2.1.1 (e) (i))

Steering box slight play between sector shaft and the drop arm (2.1.3 (a) (ii))

Pass 18 Sep 2024 168,147 miles

All direction indicators flashing more than 120 times a minute (4.4.4 (a))

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

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

Fail 16 Sep 2024 168,141 miles

Central Rear Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt A-frame ball joint (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Horn not working (7.7 (a))

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

All direction indicators flashing more than 120 times a minute (4.4.4 (a))

Central Rear Suspension arm ball joint has slight play A-frame ball joint (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

Pass 14 Sep 2023 193,824 miles

All direction indicators flashing more than 120 times a minute (4.4.4 (a))

Central Rear Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated A frame (5.3.4 (b) (i))

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

Offside Front Axle swivel pins and bushes swivel pin and/or bush slightly worn (5.1.2 (b) (i))

Offside Front Drag link end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt drop arm (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

Pass 9 Sep 2022 189,684 miles

All direction indicators flashing more than 120 times a minute (4.4.4 (a))

Steering system slightly rough (2.1.1 (a))

Pass 18 Aug 2016 188,820 miles

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Fail 4 Aug 2016 188,811 miles

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded tie rod (2.4.A.3)

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

Offside Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

Offside Rear Lower Suspension component mounting prescribed area is deliberately modified which significantly reduces the original strength tie rod (2.4.A.3)

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

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Pass 28 Jul 2015 187,135 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

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

front hub seal leaking

Pass 21 Jul 2014 186,199 miles
Fail 16 Jul 2014 186,182 miles

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

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)

Pass 30 Jul 2013 183,904 miles
Fail 26 Jul 2013 183,897 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Main beam 'tell-tale' not working (1.7.4c)

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

Fail 15 Sep 2011 181,549 miles

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

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

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

no reversing light working

Pass 15 Sep 2011 181,549 miles

no reversing light working

Pass 9 Dec 2010 179,591 miles
Fail 8 Dec 2010 179,576 miles

Brake performance not tested (3.7.A.1)

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

Nearside Front brake caliper leaking (3.6.A.1)

Nearside Front brake disc contaminated by brake fluid (3.5.1h)

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

Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.C.1a)

Fail 2 Dec 2009 174,643 miles

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

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

Rear Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Pass 2 Dec 2009 174,643 miles
Pass 15 Dec 2008 170,431 miles

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

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

Fail 2 Oct 2007 166,233 miles

Offside Rear fog lamp emits a light other than red (1.3.2e)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 2 Oct 2007 166,233 miles
Fail 27 Oct 2006 164,546 miles

Offside Drag link end loose (2.2.B.1d)

Offside Rear fog lamp emits a light other than red (1.3.2e)

Pass 27 Oct 2006 164,546 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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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.

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M197 THL is a 1994 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 60%.

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 M197 THL, 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 M197 THL?

You can check the full history of M197 THL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was M197 THL registered?

M197 THL is a 1994 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 12 October 1994.

Is M197 THL safe to buy?

The MOT history for M197 THL shows 25 tests with a 60% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does M197 THL 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 M197 THL. 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.