Workshop
Faults & fixes
Describe what your Land Rover is doing, pick your model, and see the likely causes with suggested fixes, how hard each one is and roughly what it costs.
11 faults for the Defender 110
Clear search- EngineHigh severity
300Tdi timing belt walking off or failing early
Belt noise or rubbing behind the timing cover, belt fraying at the edge, sudden failure leaving the engine dead.
90 / 110 / 127 · Defender · 300Tdi3 fixes - EngineHigh severity
Oil wicking up the injector harness into the ECU
Oil found in the injector harness plug at the cylinder head, oil in the ECU connector, misfires, poor running or stalling.
Defender · Td53 fixes - EngineMedium severity
2.2 Puma DPF blocked or regeneration warnings
DPF warning light, loss of power, frequent fan running after switching off.
Defender · 2.2 Puma3 fixes - EngineMedium severity
2.5 Diesel Turbo (19J) smoking and low power
Blue or black smoke, low compression, oil consumption, knocking under load.
90 / 110 / 127 · 2.5 Diesel Turbo3 fixes - EngineMedium severity
Oil leaking from the bellhousing (rear main seal)
Oil dripping from the bottom of the bellhousing, clutch slip if oil reaches the friction plate.
Series I · Series II / IIA · Series III · 90 / 110 / 127 · Defender2 fixes - EngineMedium severity
Puma engine limp mode or EGR faults
Engine management light, loss of power, rough idle.
Defender · 2.4 Puma, 2.2 Puma3 fixes - EngineMedium severity
Puma injector seal leak (chuffing)
Puffing or chuffing noise from the engine, black carbon build-up around an injector, smell of exhaust in the cabin.
Defender · 2.4 Puma, 2.2 Puma2 fixes - EngineMedium severity
Rover V8 tappet noise and worn camshaft
Ticking from the top of the engine, loss of power, rough idle.
Series III · 90 / 110 / 127 · Defender · 3.5 V8, 3.9 V8, 4.0 V82 fixes - EngineMedium severity
Td5 low power or limp mode
Sudden loss of power under load, often at higher boost. Clearing the fault after turning off restores power temporarily.
Defender · Td54 fixes - EngineMedium severity
Tdi low power or black smoke
Sluggish acceleration, lots of black smoke under load, turbo not spooling.
90 / 110 / 127 · Defender · 200Tdi, 300Tdi4 fixes - EngineLow severity
Diesel hard to start when cold
Long cranking on cold mornings, white smoke on start, rough running for the first minute.
Series I · Series II / IIA · Series III · 90 / 110 / 127 · Defender · 2.25 Diesel, 2.5 Diesel, 2.5 Diesel Turbo, 200Tdi, 300Tdi, Td53 fixes
This is general guidance gathered from owner experience and workshop practice, not a substitute for a workshop manual or a qualified mechanic. Costs are rough parts-only guides. Brakes, steering and suspension work affects safety, so if in doubt have it checked professionally.