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.
51 faults for the Defender 90 / 110 NAS
Clear search- Axles & drivelineMedium severity
Clunk on take-up from worn drive flange splines
A clunk when pulling away or changing between drive and overrun. Excessive rotational play at the wheel hub drive flange.
90 / 110 / 127 · Defender2 fixes - Axles & drivelineMedium severity
Differential whine or clunk
Whining from the axle that changes between drive and overrun, clunk when turning, or metallic noise.
Series I · Series II / IIA · Series III · 90 / 110 / 127 · Defender3 fixes - Gearbox & transferMedium severity
Notchy changes or jumping out of gear on LT77 and R380
Second gear crunches when cold, fifth or reverse jumps out, rattles at idle in neutral.
90 / 110 / 127 · Defender · 200Tdi, 300Tdi, Td53 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 - Axles & drivelineMedium severity
Oil leaking from the front swivel housings
Oily film or drips on the chrome swivel balls and inside of the front wheels, low oil level in the swivel housing, possible oil on brake shoes or discs.
Series I · Series II / IIA · Series III · 90 / 110 / 127 · Defender4 fixes - SteeringMedium severity
Power steering whine, leaks or heavy steering
Whining from the engine bay that rises with engine revs, wet power steering box or hoses, steering heavy on full lock.
90 / 110 / 127 · Defender3 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 - Gearbox & transferMedium severity
Rear transfer box output flange spline wear
Clunk from under the vehicle on take-up, rotational play in the rear prop shaft at the transfer box output.
90 / 110 / 127 · Defender · 300Tdi, Td52 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 - SuspensionMedium severity
Sagging or broken coil springs
Vehicle leans, sits low at one corner, or a clunk is heard over bumps. A broken coil end may be visible at the spring seat.
90 / 110 / 127 · Defender3 fixes - ElectricalMedium severity
Starter motor clicks but does not turn
Single click when turning the key, slow cranking.
Series I · Series II / IIA · Series III · 90 / 110 / 127 · Defender2 fixes - Gearbox & transferMedium severity
Td5 dual mass flywheel rattle and clutch judder
Rattle at idle which goes away when the clutch is pressed, judder when pulling away, clunk on switching off.
Defender · Td52 fixes - ElectricalMedium severity
Td5 immobiliser stops the engine starting
Engine cranks but does not fire, or will not crank, and the alarm LED flashes rapidly.
Defender · Td53 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 - Gearbox & transferMedium severity
Transfer box oil leaks and diff lock warning light stays on
Oil dripping from the transfer box, the diff lock warning light stays on after disengaging, or high and low range is hard to select.
90 / 110 / 127 · Defender3 fixes - HeatingMedium severity
Wet passenger footwell or sweet smell (heater matrix)
Damp passenger footwell, sweet smell of coolant, misting windscreen, coolant loss.
Series I · Series II / IIA · Series III · 90 / 110 / 127 · Defender2 fixes - Axles & drivelineMedium severity
Wheel bearing play or rumble
Rumbling or droning that changes with speed, wobble in the wheel when rocked top to bottom, uneven brake pad wear.
Series I · Series II / IIA · Series III · 90 / 110 / 127 · Defender3 fixes - Chassis & bodyMedium severity
Windscreen frame rot
Rust in the bottom corners of the windscreen frame, water leaks.
Series I · Series II / IIA · Series III · 90 / 110 / 127 · Defender2 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.