CarVerify

Free Car Check

AP53 MTX

2004 Land Rover Defender

Silver Diesel 2495cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires14 Sep 2026
Tests32 (20 pass, 12 fail)
Pass rate62.5%

Mileage

129,610 mi
Last recorded129,610 miles
Recorded on22 Aug 2025
Typical for 2004 Land Rover Defender81,117 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £14.99

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

RegistrationAP53 MTX
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year2004
ColourSilver
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

20 pass 12 fail
Pass 22 Aug 2025 129,610 miles
Fail 20 Aug 2025 129,610 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Front Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded (1.1.12 (f) (i))

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

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

Pass 9 Sep 2024 128,364 miles

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

Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive both sides (7.1.1 (a) (i))

under vehicle has heavy corrosion

Fail 6 Sep 2024 128,335 miles

Nearside Front Vehicle structure or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Offside Front Vehicle structure or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting (6.2.2 (d) (i))

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

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

Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive both sides (7.1.1 (a) (i))

under vehicle has heavy corrosion

Pass 11 Sep 2023 125,927 miles

Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing x2 (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Rear Prop shaft joint worn, but not excessively (6.1.7 (c) (i))

rear exhaust clamp loose but system still secure

Fail 28 Aug 2023 125,869 miles

Offside Front Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing x2 (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Rear Prop shaft joint worn, but not excessively (6.1.7 (c) (i))

rear exhaust clamp loose but system still secure

Pass 15 Sep 2022 124,350 miles

Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing both tyres (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Fail 5 Sep 2022 124,350 miles

Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect both lamps (4.1.2 (c))

Headlamp insecure both lamps (4.1.1 (c))

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

Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing both tyres (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Rear Prop shaft bearing has slight play (6.1.7 (b) (i))

Pass 30 Aug 2021 122,450 miles
Fail 28 Aug 2021 122,450 miles

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

Pass 10 Sep 2020 120,208 miles

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

Oil leak, but not excessive rear diff seal (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing all 4 tyres (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Fail 2 Sep 2020 120,208 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

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

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

Oil leak, but not excessive rear diff seal (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing all 4 tyres (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 22 Aug 2019 118,896 miles
Fail 21 Aug 2019 118,894 miles

Offside Body panel corroded and likely to cause injury centre panel (6.2.1 (a) (i))

Pass 23 Aug 2018 116,879 miles

Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing all 4. (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Fail 23 Aug 2018 116,876 miles

Fuel pipe union leaking filter (6.1.3 (b) (i))

Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing all 4. (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Pass 15 Aug 2017 114,863 miles
Pass 22 Aug 2016 110,931 miles

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

Pass 26 Aug 2015 108,274 miles
Pass 28 Aug 2014 104,652 miles

Nail in offside rear tyre

Pass 23 Aug 2013 101,747 miles
Fail 22 Aug 2013 101,747 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

Pass 17 Nov 2012 92,186 miles

slight corrosion around tow-bar but not dangerous.

Fail 17 Nov 2012 92,186 miles

Front Brake pipe leaking (3.6.A.1)

Nearside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Front front brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b) DANGEROUS

slight corrosion around tow-bar but not dangerous.

Pass 14 Dec 2011 87,444 miles
Fail 8 Dec 2011 87,334 miles

Front Windscreen wiper not operating automatically when switched on (8.2.1b)

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Pass 3 Dec 2010 79,424 miles
Fail 3 Dec 2010 79,424 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe kinked (3.6.B.2b)

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

Pass 16 Dec 2009 71,062 miles

Front Steering damper damaged but serviceable (2.2.C.1d)

steering damper bush slightly worn

Pass 23 Dec 2008 62,414 miles
Pass 9 Jan 2008 58,548 miles
Pass 9 Jan 2007 50,277 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

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

AP53 MTX is a 2004 Land Rover Defender in Silver with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 32 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 62.5%.

Across all 2004 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 74.0% with a typical mileage of 81,117 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 AP53 MTX, 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 22 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 AP53 MTX?

You can check the full history of AP53 MTX by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was AP53 MTX registered?

AP53 MTX is a 2004 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 13 January 2004.

Is AP53 MTX safe to buy?

The MOT history for AP53 MTX shows 32 tests with a 62.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does AP53 MTX 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 AP53 MTX. 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.