5 documented faults
Engine & fuel system
1 documented fault — symptoms, causes and workshop fixes.
Engine misfire.
All models.
What you'd notice
Engine stalls.
The repair
Poor contact between two halves of data link connector (DLC).
Workshop instructions
Workshop procedure
- Inspect DLC terminals.
- Adjust female pins to original shape.
- Connect and disconnect plug 3 or 4 times.
- Clean terminals with electrical contact spray.
- Reconnect DLC.
- Lock the two halves of the DLC with a cable tie Fig.101928 .
- View View more information
Data: Motorwise Workshop. Bulletin 1.
Brakes
1 documented fault — symptoms, causes and workshop fixes.
ABS warning lamp illuminates permanently or intermittently.
All models with ABS.
Poor routing of ABS wheel speed sensor wiring harness around the rear axle.
Workshop instructions & parts2 parts
Workshop procedure
- Fit cable tie and clip around axle tube.
- Ensure the cable tie is outboard of the shock absorber with the clip on top of the axle tube Fig.101994.1 .
- Fit ABS wheel speed sensor wiring harness to clip.
- Repeat procedure for opposite side.
- View View more information
| Part | Part number | Qty |
|---|---|---|
| ABS wheel speed sensor assembly - rear | SSW100060 | 1 |
| Accelerator cable | RGY500010 | 2 |
Data: Motorwise Workshop. Bulletin 4.
Air conditioning & heating
1 documented fault — symptoms, causes and workshop fixes.
Heater unable to demist front screen.
All models.
What you'd notice
Sound of water moving in heater.
The repair
Heater air intake drain valve sticking or blocked. Water trapped in heater ducting.
Workshop instructions
Workshop procedure
- Ensure air intake drain valve operates correctly Fig.101944 .
- Ensure air intake drain tube is not blocked Fig.101944 .
- View View more information
Data: Motorwise Workshop. Bulletin 2.
Wipers & visibility
1 documented fault — symptoms, causes and workshop fixes.
Erratic front wiper operation.
90/110/130/Defender, 1995-09: VIN 600000→.
What you'd notice
Front wipers not working.
The repair
Front wiper arm loose, allowing wiper spindle to rotate without moving wiper arm.
Workshop instructions
Workshop procedure
- Remove wiper arm nut protective cover and remove nut.
- If wiper arm has come loose from spindle inspect affected components for damage. Replace components as necessary.
- Ensure wiper motor is in park position.
- Fit front wiper arm. Tighten wiper arm nut as follows:
- Freelander (97-06): 18 Nm.
- Freelander 2 (06-): 25 Nm.
- 90/110/130/Defender: 17 Nm.
- Discovery 3 (04-): 18 Nm.
- Range Rover (02-): 18 Nm.
- Range Rover Sport: 34 Nm.
Data: Motorwise Workshop. Bulletin 5.
Other
1 documented fault — symptoms, causes and workshop fixes.
Alloy wheels difficult to remove.
All models with alloy wheels, →03/01.
Corrosion between hub spigot and wheel centre.
Workshop instructions & parts1 part
Workshop procedure
- Clean corrosion from wheel contact surfaces.
- Apply anti-seize grease to wheel contact surfaces.
| Part | Part number | Qty |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-seize grease | RYL105020L | 1 |
Data: Motorwise Workshop. Bulletin 3.
Take it with you
Before you view one
Land Rover Defender 3.5 (1990–1995)
Each documented fault as a quick check for a viewing or test drive — tick them off as you go.
A little workshop vocabulary
Workshop terms used on this page
Definitions for the technical language used in these bulletins.
- VIN
- Vehicle identification number — 17 characters, found at the base of the windscreen and on the V5C logbook
- Nm
- Newton-metres — the standard unit for how tightly a bolt is done up
- ABS
- Anti-lock braking system — stops the wheels locking under hard braking
- DLC
- Data link connector — the diagnostic socket a scan tool plugs into
- Anti-Seize
- Grease that stops mating parts (like a wheel on a hub) from corroding together
- Hub Spigot
- The raised centre of the hub that locates the wheel
- Wheel Speed Sensor
- A sensor at each wheel used by ABS and stability control
- Wiring Harness
- The bundled cables that carry power and signals around the vehicle
Common questions
Using this guide.
What are the common faults with the Land Rover Defender 3.5?
Garages and workshops regularly encounter five documented faults on the Land Rover Defender 3.5 — one concerns the engine and fuel system and one the brakes. Each fault above lists the symptoms, cause, fix and any parts needed.
Does every Land Rover Defender 3.5 have these faults?
No. These are patterns documented across the model by workshops, not predictions for an individual car. Where a fault applies only to certain vehicles or VIN ranges, that is listed with the fault.
Can I check for Land Rover Defender 3.5 faults when viewing one?
Many of them, yes — the documented symptoms are things you can see, hear or feel on a viewing or test drive. The 'Before you view one' checklist above turns each documented fault into a quick check you can tick off as you go.