CarVerify

Free Car Check

T985 DHY

1999 Land Rover Defender

Red Diesel 2395cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires14 Nov 2026
Tests22 (15 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate68.2%

Mileage

126,687 mi
Last recorded126,687 miles
Recorded on12 Nov 2025
Typical for 1999 Land Rover Defender106,873 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationT985 DHY
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1999
ColourRed
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,395cc

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 7 fail
Pass 12 Nov 2025 126,687 miles

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

Rear Vehicle structure is repaired but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (d) (i))

Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Fail 11 Nov 2025 126,668 miles

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength shock mounting (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Rear Vehicle structure is repaired but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (d) (i))

Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 15 Nov 2024 126,451 miles
Pass 12 May 2023 125,251 miles

Both front hub seals leaking grease

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

Front Power steering component has slight seepage from a component (2.1.5 (a))

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fail 12 May 2023 125,251 miles

Both front hub seals leaking grease

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

Front Power steering component has slight seepage from a component (2.1.5 (a))

Headlamp aim too high Both (4.1.2 (a))

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

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

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

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

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

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

Offside Front Torsion bar fixings loose to the extent that relative movement is visible (5.3.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 3 May 2022 124,147 miles
Pass 7 May 2021 122,549 miles

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

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

Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced all (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 24 Mar 2018 120,867 miles

front spanner arm bushes slightly worn

Pass 19 Dec 2014 117,680 miles

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

Nearside Rear Lower Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Fail 19 Dec 2014 117,680 miles

Emissions not tested (7.4.B.1)

Fuel pipe leaking (7.2.3)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Nearside Rear Lower Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Pass 7 Sep 2013 114,610 miles

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

Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 18 Jun 2012 110,770 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 26 Apr 2011 105,986 miles

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

Nearside Axle swivel joint has slight play (2.5.A.3b)

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Axle swivel joint has slight play (2.5.A.3b)

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

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

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

slight play in drop arm joint

Fail 26 Apr 2011 105,986 miles

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

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

Nearside Axle swivel joint has slight play (2.5.A.3b)

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Axle swivel joint has slight play (2.5.A.3b)

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

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

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

slight play in drop arm joint

Pass 22 Apr 2010 101,019 miles

Nearside Axle swivel joint has slight play (2.5.A.3b)

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Axle swivel joint has slight play (2.5.A.3b)

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

Fail 22 Apr 2010 101,018 miles

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

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

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Nearside Axle swivel joint has slight play (2.5.A.3b)

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Axle swivel joint has slight play (2.5.A.3b)

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

Pass 17 Apr 2009 96,358 miles
Fail 17 Apr 2009 96,358 miles

Centre Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Emissions not tested (7.0)

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

Pass 16 Apr 2008 92,225 miles
Pass 24 Apr 2007 88,434 miles
Fail 24 Apr 2007 88,434 miles

Nearside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

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

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

Rear Radius arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Pass 20 Apr 2006 82,621 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

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

T985 DHY is a 1999 Land Rover Defender in Red with a 2,395cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 68.2%.

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 T985 DHY, 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 T985 DHY?

You can check the full history of T985 DHY by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was T985 DHY registered?

T985 DHY is a 1999 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 31 December 1999.

Is T985 DHY safe to buy?

The MOT history for T985 DHY shows 22 tests with a 68.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does T985 DHY 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 T985 DHY. 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.