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A18 DBF

2003 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires8 Oct 2026
Tests24 (21 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate87.5%

Mileage

68,603 mi
Last recorded68,603 miles
Recorded on9 Oct 2025
Typical for 2003 Land Rover Defender86,068 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationA18 DBF
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year2003
ColourGreen
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,495cc

All premium checks include

50+ data points
Finance Check (Experian) Insurance Write-off Salvage Auction Stolen Check Previous Owners Ex-Taxi, Police, NHS Mileage Anomaly Import / Export Scrapped Check Plate Changes

MOT History

21 pass 3 fail
Pass 9 Oct 2025 68,603 miles

Nearside Front Drag link end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Pass 22 Oct 2024 67,481 miles

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 7 Nov 2023 66,716 miles
Pass 7 Nov 2022 66,050 miles
Pass 28 Oct 2021 65,004 miles
Pass 16 Nov 2020 63,937 miles
Pass 12 Nov 2019 62,600 miles
Pass 18 Oct 2018 60,702 miles
Pass 8 Nov 2017 58,511 miles

Central Rear Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint Y frame to axel (2.4.G.2)

Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt both outer belts slight damage from door catch (5.2.2a)

Front both headlamps smokey lenses

Pass 7 Nov 2016 56,666 miles

Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced both - "smoky" inside (1.7.5a)

Rear Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush both sides - top and bottom (top worst) (2.7.4)

Vehicle structure slightly corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting rear crossmember (6.6.6)

Fail 7 Nov 2016 56,666 miles

Battery insecure (1.9.1)

Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced both - "smoky" inside (1.7.5a)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Rear Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush both sides - top and bottom (top worst) (2.7.4)

Vehicle structure slightly corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting rear crossmember (6.6.6)

Pass 4 Nov 2015 54,846 miles

Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced Both (smoky appearance inside) (1.7.5a)

Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush both - nearside worst (2.7.4)

Fail 3 Nov 2015 54,846 miles

Nearside Drag link end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced Both (smoky appearance inside) (1.7.5a)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush both - nearside worst (2.7.4)

Pass 23 Oct 2014 53,300 miles

Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Nearside Drag link end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Pass 13 Nov 2013 51,531 miles

Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Pass 13 Nov 2012 49,452 miles

Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

vehicle undersealed

Fail 8 Nov 2011 47,870 miles

Nearside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Nearside Rear Lower Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Offside Rear Lower Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

play in offside (steering box side) steering damper bush

Pass 8 Nov 2011 47,870 miles

Nearside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Offside Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

play in offside (steering box side) steering damper bush

Pass 17 Nov 2010 45,758 miles
Pass 9 Sep 2010 44,608 miles

Nearside Rear Lower Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Rear Lower Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

steering damper rubber bush deteriated but not resulting in excessive movement.

Pass 17 Sep 2009 37,988 miles
Pass 19 Sep 2008 31,639 miles

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Pass 11 Sep 2007 28,808 miles
Pass 12 Sep 2006 21,397 miles

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

rear number plate starting to perish

How Reliable is the Land Rover Defender?

Based on 2,960,045 MOT tests across 181,953 vehicles.

72.3%
Pass Rate
3,550
Miles/Year
43
Year Lifespan
181,953
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush 77,499
Brake pipe excessively corroded 77,229
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 57,749
position lamp(s) not working 53,914
Stop lamp not working 52,341
Full Land Rover Defender reliability report

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A18 DBF is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 87.5%.

Across all 2003 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 73.7% with a typical mileage of 86,068 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a Land Rover Defender fails its MOT is shock absorber has an excessively worn bush, accounting for 77,499 recorded failures. If you're considering buying A18 DBF, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Land Rover Defender typically stays on UK roads for around 43 years. At 23 years old, this Land Rover Defender is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of A18 DBF?

You can check the full history of A18 DBF by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was A18 DBF registered?

A18 DBF is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 16 September 2003.

Is A18 DBF safe to buy?

The MOT history for A18 DBF shows 24 tests with a 87.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does A18 DBF have outstanding finance?

Finance checks require a premium vehicle report. This checks against all major UK finance providers to see if there is any outstanding finance on A18 DBF. If you buy a car with outstanding finance, the finance company can repossess it.

No warranty or guarantee of accuracy is provided for any free data on this page. The data guarantee applies only to information obtained through the purchase of a full check.