Used car guide · 1998–2016

Land Rover Freelander common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Land Rover Freelander, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 358,803 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

358,803MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model
129,451on the UK register
5known faults across all years
2011best year at its MOT

Pick the year

Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).

2016201520142013201220112010200920082007200620052004200320022001200019991998

What usually goes wrong with a Land Rover Freelander?

Known faults reported by owners, mechanics and UK buying guides, in our own words. Most apply to certain years or engines only, so check which the car has.

Common Land Rover Freelander MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, for each fuel on its own. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.

Petrol

  • Suspension arm

    up to 4× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

  • Rigid brake pipes

    up to 2.6× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005.

    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.

  • Track rod ends

    up to 2.6× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2005.

    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.

  • Exhaust system

    up to 2× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005.

    Rough price £100–£500 (pipe or section) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for blowing or rattling from underneath at idle, and look for black soot around joints.

  • Exhaust emissions (catalyst)

    up to 3.6× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2000, 2003 and 2004.

    Rough price £175–£900 (catalytic converter) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Look for smoke when revving the warm engine and for an engine warning light.

  • Anti-roll bar link joints

    up to 3× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2000, 2001 and 2002.

    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.

Diesel

  • Anti-roll bar link joints

    up to 3.2× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005.

    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.

  • Track rod ends

    up to 2.9× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005.

    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.

  • Rigid brake pipes

    up to 2.5× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005.

    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.

  • Suspension arm

    up to 3.1× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

  • Ball joint dust cover

    up to 2.4× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2000, 2003 and 2005.

    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.

  • Brake lights

    up to 2.1× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2001, 2002 and 2004.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

Land Rover Freelander MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2011 Land Rover Freelander did best (72% passed first time, 10 points above all 2011 cars) and the 2005 did worst (51%, 6 points below all 2005 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
201583%74% +9130 (small sample)
201478%70% +834,530
201374%67% +739,251
201273%64% +931,104
201172%62% +1036,621
201066%60% +641,579
200965%59% +629,376
200861%57% +432,241
200760%57% +341,132
200652%56% -418,736
200551%57% -617,361
200452%57% -514,536
200353%57% -49,187
200254%58% -46,777
200153%60% -73,439
200056%61% -51,347
199952%63% -11808
199857%65% -8648

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 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 track rod ends? (Flagged at MOT 2.9× as often on the Land Rover Freelander as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the anti-roll bar link joints? (Flagged at MOT 3.5× as often on the Land Rover Freelander as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Any recent work on the rigid brake pipes? (Flagged at MOT 2.5× as often on the 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, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score