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T185 SBD

1999 Land Rover Defender

Red Diesel 2500cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires15 Jul 2026
Tests27 (15 pass, 12 fail)
Pass rate55.6%

Mileage

246,415 mi
Last recorded246,415 miles
Recorded on25 Sep 2026
Typical for 1999 Land Rover Defender106,873 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationT185 SBD
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1999
ColourRed
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,500cc

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 12 fail
Fail 25 Sep 2026 246,415 miles

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

Nearside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (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 Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

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

Offside 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))

Front Brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Front Brake pad(s) incorrectly mounted (1.1.13 (c)) DANGEROUS

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

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

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

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

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

Offside Steering linkage ball joint ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt idler (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

Pass 16 Jul 2025 244,269 miles

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

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

Pass 16 Apr 2019 244,053 miles

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

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 12 Apr 2019 244,049 miles

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

Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength inside and outside and bottom of near side rear chassis rail (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength inside of off side rear chassis rail (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength near side of near side mid chassis crossmember (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 15 May 2018 238,453 miles

both front tyres wearing low in places, and perishing

off side rear tyre wearing very low in places

Fail 15 May 2018 238,453 miles

Braking system leaking off side front metal pipe to caliper area (3.6.A.1)

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

both front tyres wearing low in places, and perishing

off side rear tyre wearing very low in places

Pass 13 May 2017 226,001 miles
Fail 12 May 2017 225,987 miles

Nearside Front wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.5.A.2)

Nearside Rear Direction indicator adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.4.A.2h)

off side front wheel bearing noisey

Pass 9 May 2016 216,894 miles

near side rear brake disc inner face badly scored

Fail 5 May 2016 216,804 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded off side front turret (2.4.A.3)

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g) DANGEROUS

near side rear brake disc inner face badly scored

Pass 14 May 2015 209,372 miles

light switch in poor condition

steering box weeping oil

Fail 12 May 2015 209,351 miles

Front registration plate missing (6.3.1a)

Nearside Front Wheel nut(s) loose (4.2.A.1e)

Nearside Rear Wheel nut(s) loose (4.2.A.1e)

Nearside Rear reflector missing (1.5.1a)

Nearside Windscreen wiper not operating automatically when switched on (8.2.1b)

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

Offside Front Wheel nut(s) loose (4.2.A.1e)

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

Offside Rear reflector missing (1.5.1a)

light switch in poor condition

steering box weeping oil

Pass 9 May 2014 202,235 miles
Fail 6 May 2014 202,207 miles

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Rear registration plate with character(s) which are not the correct height (6.3.4a)

Windscreen has damage to an area in excess of a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Pass 13 May 2013 196,071 miles

Rear fog lamp damaged, but still visible from a reasonable distance (1.3.2d)

Pass 11 May 2012 192,466 miles

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

Slight front brake imbalance

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Fail 9 May 2012 192,452 miles

Centre Front Statutory seat belt missing (5.1.1)

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

Power steering component(s) leaking from a failed seal (2.3.3b)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nail in nearside front tyre

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Pass 9 May 2011 177,330 miles
Fail 6 May 2011 177,329 miles

Driver's seat cannot be secured in the upright position. (6.2.A.2)

Front registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has negligible damping effect (2.7.5)

Nearside Rear Trailing arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Rear Shock absorber has negligible damping effect (2.7.5)

Offside Rear Trailing arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Power steering component(s) leaking (2.3.3b)

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

Steering system has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel (steering box fitted) (2.2.A.1a)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

nearside seatbelt buckle damaged ;

Pass 7 May 2010 164,409 miles
Fail 1 May 2010 164,407 miles

Fuel system component leaking (7.2.3)

Nearside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Offside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Front Power steering pump has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

Oil leak

Pass 2 May 2009 150,816 miles

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

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

Offside outer track rod end joint cover split/missing

Fail 29 Apr 2009 150,571 miles

Centre Seat belt locking mechanism does not secure or release (5.2.5a)

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

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

Offside Rear reflector missing (1.5.1a)

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

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

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

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

Offside outer track rod end joint cover split/missing

Front mounted addition to bumper loose

Pass 3 May 2008 137,465 miles

brake pedal rubber worn

oil leaking from front axle/differential

Fail 29 Apr 2008 137,415 miles

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

Mechanical brake component securing device loose (3.5.1i)

Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

brake pedal rubber worn

offside rear shock absorber top mounting bush worn

oil leaking from front axle/differential

Pass 20 Apr 2007 122,055 miles

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

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Nearside Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Torque/reaction arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

offside rear and nearside rear shock absorber upper and lower mounting bushes worn

stone chips in windscreen

Pass 27 Apr 2006 108,091 miles

Nearside Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

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

Offside Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

nearside rear shock absorber top and bottom mounting bushes worn

offside rear shock absorber lower mounting bushes worn

small stone chips to windscreen

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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T185 SBD is a 1999 Land Rover Defender in Red with a 2,500cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 55.6%.

Across all 1999 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 70.6% with a typical mileage of 106,873 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 T185 SBD, 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 27 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 T185 SBD?

You can check the full history of T185 SBD by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was T185 SBD registered?

T185 SBD is a 1999 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 30 April 1999.

Is T185 SBD safe to buy?

The MOT history for T185 SBD shows 27 tests with a 55.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does T185 SBD 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 T185 SBD. 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.