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AU03 XLM

2003 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires2 May 2027
Tests27 (21 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate77.8%

Mileage

284,261 mi
Last recorded284,261 miles
Recorded on24 Apr 2026
Typical for 2003 Land Rover Defender86,068 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationAU03 XLM
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 6 fail
Pass 24 Apr 2026 284,261 miles
Pass 23 Apr 2025 277,061 miles
Pass 3 May 2024 270,121 miles
Fail 3 May 2024 270,121 miles

Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

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

Pass 13 Jul 2023 263,962 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Pass 21 Jun 2022 261,466 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush upper bush (5.3.2 (c))

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush upper bush (5.3.2 (c))

Offside Seat belt buckle slightly damaged plastic shroud missing (7.1.2 (d))

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

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

parking brake warning lamp doesn't illuminate

Fail 20 Jun 2022 261,462 miles

Driver's seat fore and aft adjustment mechanism not functioning as intended. (6.2.5 (b) (i))

Exhaust emissions test not completed because smoke levels are significantly in excess of the specified limit values (8.2.2.2 (f))

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Body mounting fixings insecure in front of rear axle (6.2.2 (c) (i))

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

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

Position lamp switch insecure (4.2.2 (b))

Speedometer cannot be illuminated (7.8 (c) (ii))

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush upper bush (5.3.2 (c))

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush upper bush (5.3.2 (c))

Offside Seat belt buckle slightly damaged plastic shroud missing (7.1.2 (d))

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

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

parking brake warning lamp doesn't illuminate

Pass 5 May 2021 251,977 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush bush (5.3.2 (c))

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

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush bush (5.3.2 (c))

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

Rear Suspension arm ball joint has slight play a-frame ball joint (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

drivers seat belt buckle plastic shroud missing but buckle still functioning as intended

Fail 4 May 2021 251,974 miles

Driver's seat fore and aft adjustment mechanism not functioning as intended. (6.2.5 (b) (i))

Horn not working (7.7 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Axle swivel pins and bushes swivel pin and/or bush excessively worn (5.1.2 (b) (i))

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

Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps light output obscured by dirty lense (4.7.1 (b) (ii))

Nearside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush bush (5.3.2 (c))

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

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush bush (5.3.2 (c))

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

Rear Suspension arm ball joint has slight play a-frame ball joint (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

drivers seat belt buckle plastic shroud missing but buckle still functioning as intended

Pass 16 Apr 2020 244,583 miles
Pass 23 Apr 2019 237,363 miles

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

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

Pass 24 Apr 2018 225,748 miles

Front Inner Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

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

Oil leak n/s rear axle rear diff seal ()

Fail 24 Apr 2018 225,745 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Nearside Drag link end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

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

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

Front Inner Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

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

Oil leak n/s rear axle rear diff seal ()

Pass 27 Apr 2017 217,385 miles
Pass 22 Apr 2016 208,678 miles

streeing damper bushes worn

Fail 22 Apr 2016 208,671 miles

Front Fuel pipe leaking (7.2.3) DANGEROUS

streeing damper bushes worn

Pass 20 May 2015 194,892 miles
Pass 28 May 2014 179,323 miles
Pass 29 May 2013 161,884 miles
Fail 29 May 2013 161,884 miles

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

Pass 29 May 2012 145,424 miles
Pass 23 May 2011 128,800 miles
Pass 19 May 2010 111,566 miles
Pass 22 May 2009 94,036 miles
Pass 13 May 2008 75,571 miles
Pass 23 May 2007 58,145 miles
Pass 17 May 2006 39,869 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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AU03 XLM is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 77.8%.

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 AU03 XLM, 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 AU03 XLM?

You can check the full history of AU03 XLM by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was AU03 XLM registered?

AU03 XLM is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 23 May 2003.

Is AU03 XLM safe to buy?

The MOT history for AU03 XLM shows 27 tests with a 77.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does AU03 XLM 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 AU03 XLM. 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.