Common problems
Land Rover Defender (before 2020) windscreen and wiper problems
How often MOT testers find windscreen, wiper and mirror 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, 4.9 of every 100 MOTs of the Land Rover Defender (before 2020) found a windscreen, wiper and mirror fail (n=20,497), against 4.4 for all cars of that age (n=9,049,507).
- It is above the all-car rate at 16 of the 20 ages with at least 1,000 tests.
- The windscreen, wiper and mirror fail item recorded most often at 10 years: wipers not clearing screen, on 2.3 per 100 MOTs.
- The most common windscreen, wiper and mirror advisory or minor defect: windscreen: damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view, on 3.2 per 100 MOTs.
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors 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 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 3.1 |
| 7 years | 8,529 | 4.3 | 3.4 | 4.3 | 3.3 |
| 8 years | 14,244 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 4.7 | 3.4 |
| 9 years | 18,539 | 4.6 | 4.0 | 4.9 | 3.7 |
| 10 years | 20,497 | 4.9 | 4.4 | 4.9 | 3.9 |
| 11 years | 17,896 | 5.6 | 4.8 | 5.4 | 4.1 |
| 12 years | 16,016 | 5.8 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 4.4 |
| 13 years | 15,281 | 6.3 | 5.6 | 5.7 | 4.7 |
| 14 years | 15,080 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 5.6 | 5.1 |
| 15 years | 15,057 | 6.8 | 6.5 | 5.4 | 5.4 |
| 16 years | 14,742 | 6.4 | 6.8 | 5.7 | 5.7 |
| 17 years | 15,548 | 6.7 | 7.1 | 5.6 | 6.0 |
| 18 years | 16,022 | 7.4 | 7.3 | 5.4 | 6.2 |
| 19 years | 16,519 | 7.7 | 7.5 | 5.8 | 6.3 |
| 20 years | 16,718 | 7.8 | 7.6 | 5.9 | 6.4 |
| 21 years | 15,682 | 8.1 | 7.5 | 5.7 | 6.5 |
| 22 years | 14,450 | 7.6 | 7.4 | 5.4 | 6.4 |
| 23 years | 12,960 | 7.7 | 7.3 | 5.7 | 6.2 |
| 24 years | 12,663 | 7.5 | 6.9 | 5.5 | 5.9 |
| 25 years | 13,088 | 7.6 | 6.7 | 5.2 | 5.6 |
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors fail items at 10 years
| Item | Per 100 MOTs | All cars | Typical repair (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wipers not clearing screen | 2.3 | 1.8 | £15 to £30 per blade |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid | 1.1 | 1.5 | £2 to £14 per car (rough guide) |
| Washers: not working | 0.8 | 0.8 | £28 to £118 per car (rough guide) |
| Washers: jets misaligned and not providing sufficient fluid to the windscreen | 0.6 | 0.1 |
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Windscreen: damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view | 3.2 | 2.4 |
| Wipers: blade defective | 1.3 | 1.0 |
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 windscreen, wiper and mirror items testers fail most are wipers not clearing screen; washers: provides insufficient washer liquid; washers: not working.
- Look for chips or cracks in the windscreen, above all in front of the driver.
- Run the wipers and washers: they should clear the screen without smearing.
- Check that the mirrors are present, secure and not cracked.
Ask for the car's MOT history: a windscreen, wiper and mirror advisory that repeats from year to year has not been fixed. GOV.UK MOT history.
Questions
What are the common windscreen and wiper problems on the Land Rover Defender (before 2020)?
At 10 years (20,497 MOTs), the windscreen, wiper and mirror fail items testers record most often are wipers not clearing screen (2.3 per 100 MOTs), washers: provides insufficient washer liquid (1.1 per 100 MOTs), washers: not working (0.8 per 100 MOTs). The most common windscreen, wiper and mirror advisories or minor defects are windscreen: damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2) and wipers: blade defective (1.3).
Does the Land Rover Defender (before 2020) have more windscreen and wiper problems than other cars?
At 10 years it has 4.9 windscreen, wiper and mirror fails per 100 MOTs against 4.4 for all cars of the same age (about the same). It is above the all-car rate at 16 of the 20 ages with enough tests.
What does a windscreen, wiper and mirror repair cost on the Land Rover Defender (before 2020)?
For wipers not clearing screen, an independent garage estimate is £15 to £30 per blade. 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) exhaust and emissions 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
Windscreen and wiper problems on other Land Rover models
- Land Rover Range Rover Evoque windscreen and wiper problems
- Land Rover Discovery windscreen and wiper problems
- Land Rover Freelander windscreen and wiper problems
- Land Rover Range Rover Sport windscreen and wiper problems
- Land Rover Discovery Sport windscreen and wiper problems
- Land Rover Range Rover windscreen and wiper problems
- Land Rover Range Rover Velar windscreen and wiper 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