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AO53 GKL

2003 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires9 Oct 2026
Tests21 (18 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate85.7%

Mileage

129,830 mi
Last recorded129,830 miles
Recorded on1 Oct 2025
Typical for 2003 Land Rover Defender86,068 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationAO53 GKL
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

18 pass 3 fail
Pass 1 Oct 2025 129,830 miles

Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened all (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front hub seal slight oil leak

Nearside Rear brake binds slightly

Offside Front hub seal slight leak

Rear rear a frame ball joint dust cover perished

Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement all rear track control arm bushes starting to perish (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 10 Oct 2024 129,650 miles
Pass 30 Sep 2021 129,370 miles

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt steering box (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced crossmember (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 8 Oct 2020 128,915 miles

Coil spring corroded all (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

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

Pass 3 Oct 2019 128,200 miles

Nearside Front bumper starting to corrode

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

Rear cross member starting to corrode

Pass 26 Sep 2018 126,571 miles

both front axle hub seals leaking

both rear and drivers front brake disc corroded on inner face

brake fluctuating

Pass 20 Sep 2017 118,819 miles

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

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 26 Sep 2016 110,526 miles

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Pass 17 Sep 2015 100,180 miles
Fail 16 Sep 2015 100,150 miles

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm also out of shape (4.1.E.1)

Pass 18 Sep 2014 90,577 miles

rear discs heavily corroded

Fail 17 Sep 2014 90,547 miles

Exhaust emits an excessive level of metered smoke for a turbo charged engine (7.4.B.3b)

Fuel system component leaking (7.2.3)

Offside Service brake grabbing severely (3.7.C.2)

rear discs heavily corroded

Pass 27 Sep 2013 81,518 miles
Pass 25 Sep 2012 71,663 miles
Pass 23 Sep 2011 61,940 miles
Pass 14 Sep 2010 53,075 miles
Pass 9 Sep 2009 44,581 miles
Fail 9 Sep 2008 37,115 miles

Exhaust emits an excessive level of metered smoke for a turbo charged engine (7.4.B.3b)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 9 Sep 2008 37,115 miles
Pass 29 Aug 2007 37,167 miles

chip in windscreen outside swiped area

Pass 12 Sep 2006 25,926 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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AO53 GKL is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 85.7%.

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 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 AO53 GKL, 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 AO53 GKL?

You can check the full history of AO53 GKL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was AO53 GKL registered?

AO53 GKL is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 27 September 2003.

Is AO53 GKL safe to buy?

The MOT history for AO53 GKL shows 21 tests with a 85.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does AO53 GKL 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 AO53 GKL. 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.