Photo: DeFacto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
5 faults documented by at least two sources, listed by version then by mileage at onset when known.
5 known faults
The AA cites corrosion of the chassis, bulkhead and door frames among the common faults of older Defenders. Au7o points to the areas most affected: the rear cross-member and spring mounts, as well as the bottom of the footwells and the bulkhead feet.
The Td5 cylinder head gasket is reported as a weak point: angle-tightened cylinder head bolts that lose their clamping force, leading to a leak into the coolant. A parts seller specifies that these bolts must not be reused. Earlier overheating may have warped the cylinder head.
Owners' forums describe the oil pump gear bolt that can work loose (fitted without thread-locker according to one of them), causing an oil pressure drop and, in the worst case, damaged bearings. The real frequency remains uncertain: one owner whose engine failed had the bolt properly tightened.
The AA cites the Td5 injector wiring among the common faults. AutoPartsPro describes oil contamination of the harness that can cause malfunctions; Auto Express also links running problems to a faulty injection harness or a faulty ECU connector.
The AA cites corrosion of the chassis, bulkhead and door frames among the common faults of older Defenders. Au7o points to the areas most affected: the rear cross-member and spring mounts, as well as the bottom of the footwells and the bulkhead feet.
The AA cites corrosion of the chassis, bulkhead and door frames among the common faults of older Defenders. Au7o points to the areas most affected: the rear cross-member and spring mounts, as well as the bottom of the footwells and the bulkhead feet.
The PistonHeads guide notes that oil pump failure is not unknown on the 2.2; Au7o describes it as a risk of oil starvation and engine damage. A Land Rover recall covering a range of serial numbers is mentioned by owners: have the VIN checked at a dealership.
An OBD scanner plugged in under the steering wheel shows stored fault codes, even with warning lights off: useful during the test drive.
Compare prices of parts for the Land Rover Defender I (timing, brakes, filters) to estimate the repairs to plan for.