2022 Land Rover Defender petrol: common problems and MOT failures
What MOT testers find on the petrol Land Rover Defender first registered in 2022 (petrol cars only): we looked at the 1,539 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.
What goes wrong more than usual on a 2022 Land Rover Defender petrol?
Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2022 Land Rover Defender petrol than on all cars registered in 2022.
- Windscreen2× usualLand Rover Defender3.2% All 2022 cars1.6%
Failed outright at MOT: 0.3%, against 0.1% of all 2022 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.
Rough price £60–£300 our estimateAt the viewing: Check for chips or cracks in the driver's view.
Common 2022 Land Rover Defender petrol MOT failures and advisories
The share of 2022 Land Rover Defender petrol MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.
- Tyres17% 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.
- Brakes9% 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.
- Wipers, windscreen and mirrors5% of testsRough price £15–£250
At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.
- Lights and electrics3% of testsRough price £10–£80
At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.
- Seats and seatbelts2% of testsRough price £80–£250
At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.
- Oil and fluid leaks1% 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.
Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2022 Land Rover Defender petrol
Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.
- Any recent work on the windscreen? (Flagged at MOT 2× as often on the 2022 Land Rover Defender petrol as on other cars the same age.)
- Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?
Looking at a Land Rover Defender?
Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.
Other years
Every year of the Land Rover Defender compared
| Year | MOT tests | Most flagged |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | – | Too new for MOT data |
| 2025 | – | Too new for MOT data |
| 2024 | – | Too new for MOT data |
| 2023 | 529 | Tyres 6% |
| 2021 | 16,997 | Tyres 16% |
| 2020 | 12,258 | Tyres 17% |
| 2019 | – | Too few tests |
| 2016 | 5,259 | Lights and electrics 15% |
| 2015 | 19,425 | Brakes 20% |
| 2014 | 17,079 | Lights and electrics 23% |
| 2013 | 12,768 | Lights and electrics 25% |
| 2012 | 11,292 | Brakes 28% |
| 2011 | 11,607 | Suspension 30% |
| 2010 | 11,558 | Suspension 33% |
| 2009 | 10,166 | Suspension 33% |
| 2008 | 10,865 | Suspension 35% |
| 2007 | 11,617 | Suspension 37% |
| 2006 | 11,038 | Suspension 37% |
| 2005 | 12,200 | Suspension 38% |
| 2004 | 12,447 | Suspension 38% |
| 2003 | 12,858 | Suspension 40% |
| 2002 | 11,282 | Suspension 39% |
| 2001 | 9,161 | Suspension 37% |
| 2000 | 8,745 | Suspension 39% |
| 1999 | 8,812 | Suspension 38% |
| 1998 | 10,222 | Lights and electrics 38% |
| 1997 | 9,899 | Lights and electrics 38% |
| 1996 | 10,182 | Lights and electrics 39% |
| 1995 | 8,462 | Lights and electrics 40% |
| 1994 | 6,802 | Lights and electrics 40% |
| 1993 | 5,523 | Lights and electrics 37% |
| 1992 | 4,355 | Lights and electrics 37% |
| 1991 | 4,994 | Lights and electrics 39% |
| 1990 | 4,751 | Lights and electrics 37% |
Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of Land Rover Defender cars first registered in 2022. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score