Used car guide

2010 Land Rover Freelander: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the Land Rover Freelander first registered in 2010: we looked at the 41,579 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

41,579MOTs of 2010 cars, done in 2023–2025
66%pass first time (all 2010 cars: 60%)
8,400typical miles a year
1.8×the usual rate for sub-frame

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2010 Land Rover Freelander?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2010 Land Rover Freelander than on all cars registered in 2010.

  • Sub-frame1.8× usual
    Land Rover Freelander
    9.3% All 2010 cars
    5.3%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.3%, against 0.3% of all 2010 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

  • Track rod ends1.8× usual
    Land Rover Freelander
    8.9% All 2010 cars
    5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.8%, against 2.5% of all 2010 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £50–£150 (one end, plus about £30–£50 if it needs a wheel alignment) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.

  • Anti-roll bar link joints1.8× usual
    Land Rover Freelander
    6.9% All 2010 cars
    3.9%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.5%, against 1.5% of all 2010 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

  • Power steering pipes and hoses14.5× usual
    Land Rover Freelander
    2.9% All 2010 cars
    0.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.4%, against 0% of all 2010 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.

Better than most

Tyre condition: 6.7% here, against 14.7% of all 2010 cars. Exhaust system: 1% here, against 7.1% of all 2010 cars.

Common 2010 Land Rover Freelander MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2010 Land Rover Freelander MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    39% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Brakes
    28% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Tyres
    26% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Lights and electrics
    23% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    7% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    6% of testsRough price £80–£600

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.

Known faults on the 2010 Land Rover Freelander

Reported by owners, mechanics and buying guides for this model and age. Check which engine the car has, as some apply to one engine only.

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2010 Land Rover Freelander

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Has the EGR cooler been replaced, and does it lose coolant?
  2. Any recent work on the sub-frame? (Flagged at MOT 1.8× as often on the 2010 Land Rover Freelander as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the track rod ends? (Flagged at MOT 1.8× as often on the 2010 Land Rover Freelander as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Any recent work on the anti-roll bar link joints? (Flagged at MOT 1.8× as often on the 2010 Land Rover Freelander as on other cars the same age.)
  5. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Land Rover Freelander?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

Every year of the Land Rover Freelander compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2016–Too few tests
2015130Brakes 22%
201434,530Brakes 22%
201339,251Suspension 30%
201231,104Suspension 33%
201136,621Suspension 33%
200929,376Suspension 42%
200832,241Suspension 46%
200741,132Suspension 49%
200618,736Brakes 51%
200517,361Brakes 53%
200414,536Brakes 51%
20039,187Brakes 53%
20026,777Brakes 50%
20013,439Brakes 50%
20001,347Brakes 47%
1999808Suspension 50%
1998648Brakes 47%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of Land Rover Freelander cars first registered in 2010. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score