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AE53 DYW

2003 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires3 Aug 2026
Tests22 (16 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate72.7%

Mileage

170,455 mi
Last recorded170,455 miles
Recorded on4 Aug 2025
Typical for 2003 Land Rover Defender86,068 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationAE53 DYW
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

16 pass 6 fail
Pass 4 Aug 2025 170,455 miles

Nearside Front headlamp loose

Offside Front headlamp low

Offside Rear brake lamp dull

front number plate in poor condition

play in offside front wheel bearing

power steering leak

seat belts low and loose in fixings

Pass 22 Jul 2022 160,196 miles

Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Tyre has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords all (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Fail 20 Jul 2022 160,195 miles

Nearside Rear Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (4.7.1 (b) (ii))

Stop lamp(s) all not working (4.3.1 (a) (iii)) DANGEROUS

Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Tyre has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords all (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Pass 15 Jul 2021 152,843 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material all (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Seat belt buckle slightly damaged (7.1.2 (d))

Nearside Front Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b) (ii))

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

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

Nearside Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b) (ii))

Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing all (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

drivers seat foam in poor condition

Pass 22 Jun 2020 145,468 miles

Coolant leak ()

Nearside Rear Rear reflector defective or damaged by up to 50% of the reflecting surface (4.8.1 (a) (i))

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

Fail 22 Jun 2020 145,468 miles

Coolant leak ()

Nearside Rear Rear reflector defective or damaged by up to 50% of the reflecting surface (4.8.1 (a) (i))

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

Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

Pass 21 Feb 2018 139,607 miles

Front Radius arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement all (2.4.G.2)

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded all (3.6.B.2c)

Fail 19 Feb 2018 139,607 miles

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

Offside Front Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (4.1.D.1f)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Front Radius arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement all (2.4.G.2)

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded all (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 28 Dec 2016 134,617 miles

Nearside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1a)

Pass 3 Dec 2015 129,690 miles

Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Nearside Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Fail 3 Dec 2015 129,690 miles

Offside Front Axle swivel joint has excessive play (2.5.A.3b)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.C.1b)

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Nearside Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Pass 5 Nov 2014 120,427 miles

all tyres have small cuts in

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

Offside Rear Lower Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Pass 7 Nov 2013 105,067 miles
Fail 7 Nov 2013 105,067 miles

Offside Rear position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Pass 5 Nov 2012 660,285 miles

all tyres have small cuts in

Pass 7 Nov 2011 82,202 miles

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

Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

number plate light poor condition

Pass 13 Oct 2010 71,653 miles
Pass 13 Nov 2009 62,618 miles
Pass 4 Nov 2008 51,615 miles
Fail 4 Nov 2008 51,615 miles

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 30 Oct 2007 37,226 miles
Pass 1 Nov 2006 25,278 miles

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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AE53 DYW is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 72.7%.

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 a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

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 AE53 DYW, 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 AE53 DYW?

You can check the full history of AE53 DYW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was AE53 DYW registered?

AE53 DYW is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 November 2003.

Is AE53 DYW safe to buy?

The MOT history for AE53 DYW shows 22 tests with a 72.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does AE53 DYW 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 AE53 DYW. 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.