Common problems
Land Rover Defender (before 2020) exhaust and emissions problems
How often MOT testers find exhaust, emissions and leaks faults on the Land Rover Defender (before 2020) at each age, against all cars of the same age, and which items come up most. From 291,433 DVSA MOT tests taken 2022 to 2025. These figures cover cars first used before 2020. Later cars sold under the same name are not included; see Land Rover Defender cars first used 2020 or later.
MOT data updated
At 10 years, the most tested age
What stands out
- At 10 years, 1.1 of every 100 MOTs of the Land Rover Defender (before 2020) found a exhaust, emissions and leaks fail (n=20,497), against 2.8 for all cars of that age (n=9,049,507).
- It is level with or below the all-car rate at every age with at least 1,000 tests.
- The gap is widest at 24 years: 2.7 per 100 MOTs against 7.0 for all cars.
- The exhaust, emissions and leaks fail item recorded most often at 10 years: malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction, on 0.6 per 100 MOTs.
- The most common exhaust, emissions and leaks advisory or minor defect: transmission oil leaks: leak, but not excessive, on 3.5 per 100 MOTs.
Exhaust, emissions and leaks fails by age
Solid line: this model. Dashed line: all cars at the same age.
| Age | Tests (n) | Fails | All cars | Advisories | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 years | 1,902 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 3.1 | 1.2 |
| 7 years | 8,529 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 3.6 | 1.7 |
| 8 years | 14,244 | 0.9 | 2.1 | 4.3 | 2.3 |
| 9 years | 18,539 | 1.0 | 2.4 | 5.1 | 3.1 |
| 10 years | 20,497 | 1.1 | 2.8 | 6.2 | 4.0 |
| 11 years | 17,896 | 1.4 | 3.2 | 8.5 | 5.3 |
| 12 years | 16,016 | 2.0 | 3.7 | 10.8 | 6.9 |
| 13 years | 15,281 | 2.2 | 4.3 | 12.9 | 8.2 |
| 14 years | 15,080 | 2.4 | 5.1 | 15.3 | 9.7 |
| 15 years | 15,057 | 2.3 | 5.7 | 16.6 | 11.0 |
| 16 years | 14,742 | 2.7 | 6.2 | 18.4 | 12.0 |
| 17 years | 15,548 | 3.0 | 6.5 | 20.1 | 13.2 |
| 18 years | 16,022 | 3.1 | 6.8 | 22.1 | 14.1 |
| 19 years | 16,519 | 3.7 | 7.0 | 23.3 | 14.7 |
| 20 years | 16,718 | 3.7 | 7.0 | 23.6 | 15.6 |
| 21 years | 15,682 | 3.7 | 7.1 | 24.5 | 16.4 |
| 22 years | 14,450 | 3.2 | 7.0 | 24.2 | 16.8 |
| 23 years | 12,960 | 3.0 | 6.9 | 24.2 | 17.0 |
| 24 years | 12,663 | 2.7 | 7.0 | 25.2 | 16.8 |
| 25 years | 13,088 | 3.0 | 7.1 | 26.1 | 16.6 |
Exhaust, emissions and leaks fail items at 10 years
| Item | Per 100 MOTs | All cars | Typical repair (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction | 0.6 | 0.6 | diagnosis from £39 (rough guide) |
Exhaust, emissions and leaks advisories and minor defects at 10 years
Advisories and minor defects are recorded, but the car still passes. Across all cars, a part with an advisory or minor defect failed at the next MOT 5.5 times in 100 (n=88,666,940 pairs of consecutive MOTs), against 0.3 times in 100 when the same part had none (n=12,936,860,350).
| Item | Per 100 MOTs | All cars |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission oil leaks: leak, but not excessive | 3.5 | 0.5 |
| Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive | 2.5 | 3.4 |
Repair estimates are a guide for an independent garage: labour at the national median local garage rate (median £78 an hour from 65 garages, ONS price quotes) times estimated labour hours, plus a parts band. Labour hours and most parts bands are estimates, not quotes, and prices vary by model, engine and region. A warning light fault shows the cost of the diagnosis only.
What to check on a viewing
On the Land Rover Defender (before 2020), the exhaust, emissions and leaks items testers fail most are malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction.
- Start the engine from cold if you can and watch the exhaust for blue or black smoke.
- Check that the engine warning light goes out after starting and stays out on the test drive.
- Look under the car and around the engine for oil or fluid leaks, and listen for a blowing exhaust.
Ask for the car's MOT history: a exhaust, emissions and leaks advisory that repeats from year to year has not been fixed. GOV.UK MOT history.
Questions
What are the common exhaust and emissions problems on the Land Rover Defender (before 2020)?
At 10 years (20,497 MOTs), the exhaust, emissions and leaks fail items testers record most often are malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction (0.6 per 100 MOTs). The most common exhaust, emissions and leaks advisories or minor defects are transmission oil leaks: leak, but not excessive (3.5) and engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive (2.5).
Does the Land Rover Defender (before 2020) have more exhaust and emissions problems than other cars?
At 10 years it has 1.1 exhaust, emissions and leaks fails per 100 MOTs against 2.8 for all cars of the same age (1.7 fewer). It is level with or below the all-car rate at every age with enough tests.
What does a exhaust, emissions and leaks repair cost on the Land Rover Defender (before 2020)?
For malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction, an independent garage estimate is diagnosis from £39 (rough guide). This is a guide built from the national median garage labour rate and estimated labour hours, not a quote.
More on the Land Rover Defender (before 2020)
- All Land Rover Defender (before 2020) common problems
- Defender (before 2020) suspension problems
- Defender (before 2020) brake problems
- Defender (before 2020) electrical and lighting problems
- Defender (before 2020) steering problems
- Defender (before 2020) windscreen and wiper problems
- Defender (before 2020) tyre problems
- Land Rover Defender MOT fail rate by age
- Land Rover Defender ULEZ and clean air zone rules
- Land Rover Defender recalls
Exhaust and emissions problems on other Land Rover models
- Land Rover Range Rover Evoque exhaust and emissions problems
- Land Rover Discovery exhaust and emissions problems
- Land Rover Range Rover Sport exhaust and emissions problems
- Land Rover Discovery Sport exhaust and emissions problems
- Land Rover Range Rover exhaust and emissions problems
- Land Rover Range Rover Velar exhaust and emissions problems
The all cars figures cover all class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans) tested at the same age.
Looking at a Land Rover Defender (before 2020)?
These figures describe the model, not the car in front of you. Found one you might buy? See what the VetTheCar Buying Report covers, or use the tools that work without a registration.
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Repair estimates: ONS consumer price quotes for local garage labour (09/2025 to 08/2026), the MOT inspection manual for defect wording, and estimated labour hours and parts bands. Not affiliated with or endorsed by ONS.
Source
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025. MOT data updated 28 September 2026.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources