Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1997 Land Rover Defender failed the safety check 0.75% of the time — 53% less often than the average 1997 passenger car (1.60%). Median odometer at inspection: 58,013 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Engines
The most common engines in 1997 Land Rover Defender cars on Dutch roads are the 2.5 diesel (83 kW, 111 hp) and 2.0 petrol (100 kW, 134 hp).
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5 diesel | 83 kW 111 hp | 47 |
| 2.0 petrol | 100 kW 134 hp | 30 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
89 first registered in 1997 are on Dutch roads; 79% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen35
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde32
- Gordel beschadigd14
- Uitlaatsysteem niet gasdicht / onveilige afvoer uitlaatgasse14
- Stofhoes stuurinrichting beschadigd, dicht niet af13
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm10
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht10
- Remschijf ernstig gecorrodeerd9
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
66 cars built in 1997 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 55 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 3,407 of these cars first registered in 1997 took their annual MOT test. 62% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 1997 the figure was 64%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 1997 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 22.5% | 16.1% |
| Suspension | 13.5% | 12.2% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 13.2% | 9.7% |
| Steering | 10.4% | 3.5% |
| Brakes | 9.1% | 11.8% |
| Visibility | 7.5% | 6.6% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In New Zealand
41 1997 cars are on the New Zealand register; 46% arrived as used imports, 46% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 1997 Land Rover Defender.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Land Rover told its dealers about the 1997 Land Rover Defender: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 605739 | SITUATION WITH INCORRECT BOLT USED IN ASSEMBLY. *TT |
| 604148 | SUBJECT PERTAINING TO AIR INTAKE HOSE IMPROVEMENTS. *TT |
| 604147 | TECHNICAL INFORMATION ON IMPROVING AIR CONDITIONER RELIABILITY. *TT |
| 603263 | TECHNICAL INFORMATION ON MULTI-FUNCTIONING UNIT WIRING. *YC |
| 602375 | FRONT SWIVEL SEAL REPLACEMENT AND GREASE FILL. *YC |
| 52389 | TRANSFER GEARBOX OUTPUT SEAL REPLACEMENT. *TW |
| 50659 | PRIDE - 14CUX COIL CONNECTIONS. *TW |
| 50649 | PRIDE - FRONT STUB AXLE SEAL: NEW PART INTRODUCTION. *TW |
| 50648 | PRIDE - REAR STUB AXLE SEAL: NEW PART INTRODUCTION. *TW |
| 50635 | 1997 DEFENDER ELECTRICAL LIBRARY AND DIAGRAMS. *TW |
| 50559 | NEW TORQUE SETTING - HUB NUT. *TW |
| 10214018 | Technical Bulletin: Squeaks & Rattles Kit Availability |
| 10125267 | Presentation from Dealer Shop Foreman Conference Call |
| 10100968 | "ISSUE: THIS SSM HAS BEEN RELEASED TO ADDRESS THE HIGH NUMBER OF SPEAKER ASSEMBLIES RETURNED, MANY OF WHICH ARE DEEMED AS NO FAULT FOUND. CAUSE: INCORRECT DIAGNOSIS." |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)