Used car guide

2009 Land Rover Freelander: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2009 Land Rover Freelanders, from 9,346 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

9,346MOT tests in 2025
63%pass first time (all 2009 cars: 58%)
8,200typical miles a year
2×the usual rate for sub-frame

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2009 Land Rover Freelanders than on all cars registered in 2009.

  • Sub-frame2× usual
    Land Rover Freelander
    15.3% All 2009 cars
    7.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.2%, against 0.4% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

  • Power steering pipes and hoses12× usual
    Land Rover Freelander
    3.6% All 2009 cars
    0.3%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.4%, against 0% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.

  • Handbrake cables12.5× usual
    Land Rover Freelander
    2.5% All 2009 cars
    0.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.4%, against 0.1% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £80–£300 our estimate

    At the viewing: Pull the handbrake on a slope. It should hold the car within a few clicks.

  • Body structure rust or damage2.1× usual
    Land Rover Freelander
    3.4% All 2009 cars
    1.6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.7%, against 0.4% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £150–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath and along the sills for flaky rust or fresh underseal hiding it.

Better than most

Tyre condition: 7.3% here, against 15.6% of all 2009 cars. Exhaust system: 1.6% here, against 8.4% of all 2009 cars.

By area

The share of 2009 Land Rover Freelander MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    46% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Brakes
    31% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Tyres
    27% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Lights and electrics
    26% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    12% of testsRough price £80–£600

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    8% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
201411,526Suspension 24%
201312,998Suspension 35%
201210,306Suspension 38%
201112,058Suspension 38%
201013,462Suspension 44%
20089,907Suspension 51%
200712,298Suspension 53%
20064,995Suspension 53%
20054,447Suspension 52%
20043,597Brakes 51%
20032,254Brakes 52%
20021,682Suspension 51%
2001849Brakes 48%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2009 Land Rover Freelanders registered in 2009. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score