CarVerify

Free Car Check

AK53 VDL

2003 Alfa Romeo 156

Blue Petrol 1970cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires15 Feb 2027
Tests31 (20 pass, 11 fail)
Pass rate64.5%

Mileage

161,902 mi
Last recorded161,902 miles
Recorded on16 Feb 2026
Typical for 2003 Alfa Romeo 15672,902 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Alfa Romeo
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationAK53 VDL
MakeAlfa Romeo
Model156
Year2003
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,970cc

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

20 pass 11 fail
Pass 16 Feb 2026 161,902 miles
Fail 13 Feb 2026 161,902 miles

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 23 Aug 2023 160,948 miles
Pass 15 Sep 2022 158,985 miles
Fail 14 Sep 2022 158,981 miles

Offside Rear Macpherson strut pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 22 Sep 2021 157,233 miles
Pass 6 Sep 2021 157,228 miles
Fail 2 Sep 2021 157,226 miles

Offside Rear Brake hose leaking on a hydraulic braking system (1.1.12 (c) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

Pass 21 Aug 2020 153,449 miles
Fail 13 Aug 2020 153,353 miles

Nearside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

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

Nearside Rear 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))

Pass 21 Aug 2019 148,531 miles
Fail 21 Aug 2019 148,531 miles

Battery insecure and likely to fall from carrier (4.13 (a) (ii))

Pass 22 Aug 2018 144,054 miles
Fail 20 Aug 2018 144,051 miles

Nearside Headlamp insecure (4.1.1 (c))

Nearside Headlamp insecure (4.1.1 (c))

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength Floor pan (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 1 Sep 2017 139,542 miles

Nearside Front Lower Front suspension ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Upper Front suspension ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Fail 24 Aug 2017 139,003 miles

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Nearside Front Lower Front suspension ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Upper Front suspension ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Pass 29 Aug 2016 134,447 miles

Offside Rear Seat belt flexible stalk damaged but not likely to lead to failure under load Cover missing (5.2.4a)

Offside Side repeater slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Fail 19 Aug 2016 134,379 miles

Headlamp aim too high and too far to the left. Both lamps high (1.8)

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Rear Seat belt flexible stalk damaged but not likely to lead to failure under load Cover missing (5.2.4a)

Offside Side repeater slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Pass 8 Sep 2015 129,722 miles

engine check light on

o/s front anti roll bar drop link dust boot splitting

Fail 1 Sep 2015 129,705 miles

Front position lamp(s) incorrect colour both (1.1.A.3e)

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement inner bushes (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Headlamp incorrect colour (1.7.5b)

Offside Headlamp incorrect colour (1.7.5b)

engine check light on

o/s front anti roll bar drop link dust boot splitting

Pass 23 Aug 2014 121,841 miles
Pass 27 Aug 2013 110,197 miles

2x nail in o/s/r tyre

n/s/r tyre perishing and cracking in tread

o/s/r tyre perishing and cracking in tread

Pass 31 Aug 2012 100,689 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

N/S/F TYRE WEARING INNER EDGE

Nail in offside rear tyre

Fail 25 Aug 2012 100,650 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

Nearside Headlamp incorrect colour (1.7.5b)

Offside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

Offside Headlamp incorrect colour (1.7.5b)

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

N/S/F TYRE WEARING INNER EDGE

Nail in offside rear tyre

Nearside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Pass 26 Aug 2011 91,079 miles
Pass 1 Sep 2010 80,807 miles

Offside Rear Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Pass 27 Aug 2009 70,562 miles
Pass 30 Aug 2008 59,943 miles
Pass 5 Sep 2007 53,374 miles
Pass 25 Sep 2006 48,332 miles
Fail 25 Sep 2006 48,332 miles

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

How Reliable is the Alfa Romeo 156?

Based on 487,324 MOT tests across 48,356 vehicles.

66.1%
Pass Rate
6,689
Miles/Year
28
Year Lifespan
48,356
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 42,148
position lamp(s) not working 31,156
Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush 21,869
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 18,394
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 16,133
Full Alfa Romeo 156 reliability report

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

AK53 VDL is a 2003 Alfa Romeo 156 in Blue with a 1,970cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 31 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 64.5%.

Across all 2003 Alfa Romeo 156 models, the average MOT pass rate is 67.9% with a typical mileage of 72,902 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 Alfa Romeo 156 fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 42,148 recorded failures. If you're considering buying AK53 VDL, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Alfa Romeo 156 typically stays on UK roads for around 28 years. At 23 years old, this Alfa Romeo 156 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of AK53 VDL?

You can check the full history of AK53 VDL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was AK53 VDL registered?

AK53 VDL is a 2003 Alfa Romeo 156, first registered on 28 October 2003.

Is AK53 VDL safe to buy?

The MOT history for AK53 VDL shows 31 tests with a 64.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does AK53 VDL 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 AK53 VDL. 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.