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M488 JTX

1994 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires23 Sep 2027
Tests36 (16 pass, 20 fail)
Pass rate44.4%

Mileage

239,887 mi
Last recorded239,887 miles
Recorded on24 Sep 2026
Typical for 1994 Land Rover Defender120,267 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationM488 JTX
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 20 fail
Pass 24 Sep 2026 239,887 miles

Battery insecure but not likely to fall from carrier (4.13 (a) (i))

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

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

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

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

Nearside Seat belt buckle slightly damaged (7.1.2 (d))

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

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

Rear Suspension component ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

under body corroded

Fail 15 Jul 2026 239,881 miles

Front Prop shaft joint excessively worn front joint (6.1.7 (c) (i))

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nearside Seat belt buckle slightly damaged (7.1.2 (d))

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

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

Rear Suspension component ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 11 Jun 2024 239,190 miles

Front Brake disc worn, but not excessively (1.1.14 (a) (i))

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

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

Fail 31 May 2024 239,184 miles

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Front passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.3 (a))

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorbers has an excessively worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

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

Offside Suspension component pin or bush excessively worn front pannard rod (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Front Brake disc worn, but not excessively (1.1.14 (a) (i))

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

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

Pass 1 Feb 2023 232,955 miles

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

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

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

Rear Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

Fail 18 Jan 2023 232,922 miles

Brake pipe excessively corroded pipe to rear (1.1.11 (c))

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

Nearside Front Floor excessively deteriorated (6.2.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Floor excessively deteriorated (6.2.4 (a) (i))

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

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

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

Rear Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 20 Jan 2022 228,486 miles

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

Fuel tank slightly loose (6.1.3 (a) (i))

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

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

advise play in panard rod bush

Fail 17 Jan 2022 228,468 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has negligible damping effect (5.3.2 (d))

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

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

Fuel tank slightly loose (6.1.3 (a) (i))

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

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

advise play in panard rod bush

Pass 19 Jan 2021 226,869 miles

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

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

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

Nearside Rear Suspension rod pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

Offside Rear Suspension rod pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Fail 19 Jan 2021 226,869 miles

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

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

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

Nearside Rear Suspension rod pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

Offside Rear Suspension rod pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Fail 14 Oct 2020 226,863 miles

Exhaust emissions test not completed because smoke levels are significantly in excess of the specified limit values (8.2.2.2 (f))

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

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

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

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

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

Offside Front Brake pipe leaking on a hydraulic braking system (1.1.11 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

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

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

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

Pass 7 Sep 2019 221,871 miles

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

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

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

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

Fail 22 May 2019 221,854 miles

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

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Wheel bearing rough when rotated (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Suspension component pin or bush excessively worn front offside pannard rod bush (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

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

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

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

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

Pass 15 Dec 2017 218,357 miles

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

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

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

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

Fail 15 Dec 2017 218,357 miles

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

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

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

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

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

Pass 29 Jul 2016 216,540 miles

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

Offside Front slightly rough

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

Fail 29 Jul 2016 216,534 miles

Battery insecure (1.9.1)

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

Offside Rear Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

Passenger's seat insecure (6.2.A.1)

Steering component is not secure to the vehicle structure panard rod (2.2.B.1a)

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

Offside Front slightly rough

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

Fail 26 Nov 2015 216,525 miles

Brake pipe excessively corroded pipe to rear (3.6.B.2c)

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

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

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

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

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Vehicle structure excessively corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting rear cross member (6.6.6)

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

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

Pass 10 Jan 2014 213,684 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

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

Oil leak

steering dampner has slight play in bush

Fail 10 Jan 2014 213,684 miles

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

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

Oil leak

steering dampner has slight play in bush

Pass 30 Oct 2012 204,582 miles
Fail 23 Oct 2012 204,488 miles

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

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

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

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

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Pass 14 Sep 2011 193,008 miles

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

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

Fail 6 Sep 2011 192,995 miles

Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

Front registration plate missing (6.3.1a)

Hazard warning lamps not flashing in phase, with ignition off (1.4.B.1f)

Hazard warning lamps not flashing in phase, with ignition on (1.4.B.1f)

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

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

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

Offside Steering arm has relative movement at its fixings (2.2.B.1h)

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

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

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

Nearside Front Axle swivel joint insecure in a stub axle (2.5.A.3b) DANGEROUS

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

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

Pass 9 Sep 2010 188,390 miles

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

Fail 9 Sep 2010 188,390 miles

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

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

Fail 23 Aug 2010 188,387 miles

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

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

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

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

Windscreen has damage to the swept area in excess of a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Pass 26 Aug 2009 179,663 miles
Fail 19 Aug 2009 179,663 miles

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

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

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

Power steering component(s) leaking (2.3.3b)

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

Fail 9 Dec 2008 172,422 miles

Direction indicators incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

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

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Power steering component(s) leaking (2.3.3b)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Steering column locking device insecure (2.1.6) DANGEROUS

Pass 20 Aug 2008 169,598 miles
Fail 13 Aug 2008 169,375 miles

Nearside Front passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.B.1b)

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

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

Power steering inoperative (2.3.3a)

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

Pass 13 Aug 2007 158,414 miles
Fail 8 Aug 2007 158,152 miles

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

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Offside Seat belt has a cut which has significantly weakened the webbing (5.2.2a)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Pass 11 Aug 2006 146,056 miles
Fail 9 Aug 2006 146,016 miles

Brake rod excessively worn and seriously weakened (3.5.1e)

Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Offside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

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

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

M488 JTX is a 1994 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 36 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 44.4%.

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 M488 JTX, 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 M488 JTX?

You can check the full history of M488 JTX by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was M488 JTX registered?

M488 JTX is a 1994 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 10 November 1994.

Is M488 JTX safe to buy?

The MOT history for M488 JTX shows 36 tests with a 44.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does M488 JTX 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 M488 JTX. 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.