Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1999 Land Rover Defender, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Tires1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
In the Netherlands
107 first registered in 1999 are on Dutch roads; 58% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen47
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde44
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld23
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm23
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht19
- Gordel beschadigd9
- Dim-, grootlicht werkt niet (goed)9
- Remleiding door corrosie aangetast9
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
113 cars built in 1999 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 48 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, 3,057 of these cars first registered in 1999 took their annual MOT test. 64% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 1999 the figure was 63%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 1999 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 19.0% | 16.6% |
| Suspension | 13.0% | 13.1% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 11.9% | 9.3% |
| Steering | 9.9% | 3.7% |
| Brakes | 9.6% | 12.2% |
| Visibility | 7.5% | 6.9% |
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
17 1999 cars are on the New Zealand register; 71% arrived as used imports, 29% 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 1999 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 1999 Land Rover Defender: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 10125267 | Presentation from Dealer Shop Foreman Conference Call |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)