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R28 VLB

1998 Jeep Wrangler 4.0 Sahara

Black Petrol 3960cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires13 Jun 2026
Tests31 (21 pass, 10 fail)
Pass rate67.7%

Mileage

85,966 mi
Last recorded85,966 miles
Recorded on14 Jun 2025
Typical for 1998 Jeep Wrangler 4.0 Sahara74,295 mi

Above average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Jeep
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Finance
Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR28 VLB
MakeJeep
ModelWrangler 4.0 Sahara
Year1998
ColourBlack
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,960cc
View full Jeep Wrangler 4.0 Sahara reliability data

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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

21 pass 10 fail
Pass 14 Jun 2025 85,966 miles

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

leak from rear diff seals

Pass 8 Aug 2024 80,373 miles

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Oil leak, but not excessive from both rear drum diff seals (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Fail 1 Jul 2024 80,218 miles

Nearside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Steering linkage ball joint ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt just after steering box (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Offside Front 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))

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement ball joint (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Oil leak, but not excessive from both rear drums from diff shafts (8.4.1 (a) (i))

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

Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel from steering ram bush (2.3 (a) (i))

Pass 14 Jul 2023 74,110 miles

Oil leak, but not excessive all on both rear drums from diff shafts (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Fail 6 Jul 2023 73,999 miles

Brake lever has insufficient reserve travel (1.1.2 (a))

Central Front 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))

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front 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))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Oil leak, but not excessive all on both rear drums from diff shafts (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 12 Jul 2022 68,185 miles

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

Fail 11 Jul 2022 68,183 miles

Central Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt linkage on steering box (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Nearside Rear Oil leaking excessively from transmission Differential seal (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Oil leaking excessively from transmission Differential seal (8.4.1 (a) (i))

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

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

Pass 13 Jul 2021 60,974 miles

No rear seats fitted at time of test

Fail 30 Jun 2021 60,973 miles

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

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has excessive play excess end float, oil seal leaking (5.1.3 (a) (i))

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

Offside Rear Wheel bearing has excessive play excess end float (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Side repeater not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear park brake has low effort

No rear seats fitted at time of test

Pass 16 Jun 2020 54,557 miles
Fail 8 Jun 2020 54,556 miles

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

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

Front axle tie bar movement

Pass 4 Jun 2019 48,349 miles
Fail 4 Jun 2019 48,349 miles

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

Pass 14 Jun 2018 40,752 miles
Pass 23 Mar 2018 38,996 miles
Pass 19 Jun 2017 34,320 miles
Pass 17 Jun 2016 28,443 miles

rear diff seal leaking

Fail 15 Jun 2016 28,426 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement drop link (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement drop link (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

rear diff seal leaking

Pass 18 Jun 2015 23,073 miles
Fail 21 Oct 2013 21,996 miles

Centre Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 21 Oct 2013 21,996 miles
Pass 31 Oct 2012 21,011 miles
Pass 24 Oct 2011 19,797 miles
Pass 7 Oct 2010 18,948 miles
Pass 12 Oct 2009 17,495 miles
Fail 13 Oct 2008 17,339 miles

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Pass 13 Oct 2008 17,339 miles
Pass 25 Oct 2007 16,927 miles

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

Offside Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Fail 25 Oct 2007 16,927 miles

Nearside Front Tyre fouling a part of the vehicle (4.1.D.2)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Front Tyre fouling a part of the vehicle (4.1.D.2)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Offside Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 23 Feb 2007 16,316 miles
Pass 6 Feb 2006 15,376 miles

How Reliable is the Jeep Wrangler 4.0 Sahara?

Based on 4,788 MOT tests across 263 vehicles.

70.9%
Pass Rate
2,157
Miles/Year
29
Year Lifespan
263
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Brake pipe excessively corroded 227
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 93
Stop lamp not working 90
Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a pin/bush 81
fog lamp not working 70
Full Jeep Wrangler 4.0 Sahara reliability report

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R28 VLB is a 1998 Jeep Wrangler 4.0 Sahara in Black with a 3,960cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 31 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 67.7%.

Across all 1998 Jeep Wrangler 4.0 Sahara models, the average MOT pass rate is 68.5% with a typical mileage of 74,295 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 Jeep Wrangler 4.0 Sahara fails its MOT is brake pipe excessively corroded, accounting for 227 recorded failures. If you're considering buying R28 VLB, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Jeep Wrangler 4.0 Sahara typically stays on UK roads for around 29 years. At 28 years old, this Jeep Wrangler 4.0 Sahara is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R28 VLB?

You can check the full history of R28 VLB by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R28 VLB registered?

R28 VLB is a 1998 Jeep Wrangler 4.0 Sahara, first registered on 31 December 1998.

Is R28 VLB safe to buy?

The MOT history for R28 VLB shows 31 tests with a 67.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R28 VLB 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 R28 VLB. 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.