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AU53 YKG

2003 Land Rover Defender

Yellow Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires7 Sep 2026
Tests26 (21 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate80.8%

Mileage

190,109 mi
Last recorded190,109 miles
Recorded on8 Sep 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

RegistrationAU53 YKG
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year2003
ColourYellow
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,495cc

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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 5 fail
Pass 8 Sep 2025 190,109 miles
Pass 15 Nov 2024 187,835 miles
Pass 20 Nov 2023 184,519 miles
Fail 20 Nov 2023 184,519 miles

Parking brake lever has excessive movement indicating incorrect adjustment (1.1.6 (c))

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

Pass 14 Feb 2023 180,556 miles
Fail 14 Feb 2023 180,556 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 Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

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

Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (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

Pass 16 Feb 2022 171,279 miles

Central Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material Front to rear covered in grease (1.1.11 (c))

Central Rear Cab or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security Cross member (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Fail 16 Feb 2022 171,279 miles

Nearside Front Steering linkage ball joint has excessive play Front steering arm (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Central Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material Front to rear covered in grease (1.1.11 (c))

Central Rear Cab or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security Cross member (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Offside Front Hub seal leaking

Pass 1 Mar 2021 161,432 miles

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Prop shaft bearing has slight play Universal joint gearbox side (6.1.7 (b) (i))

Pass 18 Mar 2020 151,828 miles
Pass 10 Apr 2019 141,519 miles
Pass 16 Apr 2018 130,235 miles
Pass 4 Apr 2017 117,438 miles

Front Oil leak ()

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

Pass 13 Apr 2016 107,272 miles
Pass 30 Mar 2015 93,008 miles
Fail 30 Mar 2015 93,008 miles

Brake hydraulic reservoir fluid level below minimum level (3.6.G.1b)

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

Pass 29 Apr 2014 80,927 miles
Fail 24 Apr 2014 80,927 miles

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

Pass 13 Jun 2013 79,472 miles
Pass 1 Jun 2012 74,247 miles
Pass 9 Jun 2011 67,907 miles

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

Pass 12 Aug 2010 60,833 miles
Pass 7 Aug 2009 52,203 miles
Pass 11 Aug 2008 45,456 miles
Pass 27 Jul 2007 37,860 miles
Pass 16 Aug 2006 31,693 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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AU53 YKG is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Yellow with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 80.8%.

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 AU53 YKG, 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 AU53 YKG?

You can check the full history of AU53 YKG by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was AU53 YKG registered?

AU53 YKG is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 19 September 2003.

Is AU53 YKG safe to buy?

The MOT history for AU53 YKG shows 26 tests with a 80.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does AU53 YKG 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 AU53 YKG. 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.