The picture

Defender Se D Mhev Auto: a strong MOT record by UK norms

Across 2,363 MOT tests, the Defender Se D Mhev Auto returns 95.1% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is windscreen damage. A seriously damaged tyre and a defective wiper blade round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 32,265, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.

Top ten reasons for rejection.

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01

Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view

46 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
02

A tyre seriously damaged

29 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
03

Wiper blade defective

21 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
04

Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements

11 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
05

Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen

9 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
06

a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm

7 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
07

An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction

6 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
08

A tyre seriously damaged

5 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
09

A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning

5 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
10

A tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative

5 occurrences · 0.2% of tests

Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.

Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures

£55–£125

If every one of this Defender SE D Mhev Auto's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →

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Tools that pre-empt a retest.

Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.

Item 01 · Amazon UK

Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades

Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.

Search Amazon UK

Item 02 · Amazon UK

MOT-spec replacement number plate

Faded or non-standard plates fail outright. Replacements take ten minutes online with V5C details.

Search Amazon UK

My Motor World · affiliate

Parts & supplies for this fix

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Book a mobile mechanic

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Buying or keeping a Defender SE D Mhev Auto?

Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.

If you own a Defender SE D Mhev Auto and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.