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AV53 DKJ

2003 Land Rover Defender

Grey Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires19 Jan 2026
Tests26 (15 pass, 11 fail)
Pass rate57.7%

Mileage

138,650 mi
Last recorded138,650 miles
Recorded on25 Feb 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

RegistrationAV53 DKJ
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year2003
ColourGrey
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

15 pass 11 fail
Fail 25 Feb 2026 138,650 miles

Horn not working (7.7 (a))

Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn axle torsion bar (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure excessively corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.1.6 (i) (i))

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively does sweep large enough area (3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Driver's view of the road through the swept area of the windscreen significantly affected by an obstruction wiper parks in vision (3.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Vehicle structure excessively corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.1.6 (i) (i))

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

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases exhaust flanges corroded (6.1.2 (a))

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

Pass 20 Jan 2025 123,964 miles

Nearside Drag link end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Hydraulic brake calliper leaking (1.1.16 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorbers has an excessively worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Offside Obligatory mirror seriously damaged, affecting the rear view (3.3 (b) (ii))

Offside Brake pipe connection leaking on a hydraulic braking system (1.1.11 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Rear Vehicle structure slightly corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting crossmember (6.1.6 (i) (i))

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

exhaust system rusty at flanges

Fail 15 Jan 2025 123,947 miles

Nearside Drag link end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Hydraulic brake calliper leaking (1.1.16 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorbers has an excessively worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Offside Obligatory mirror seriously damaged, affecting the rear view (3.3 (b) (ii))

Offside Brake pipe connection leaking on a hydraulic braking system (1.1.11 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Rear Vehicle structure slightly corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting crossmember (6.1.6 (i) (i))

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

exhaust system rusty at flanges

Pass 8 Mar 2022 117,604 miles
Pass 7 Sep 2020 110,493 miles

Steering box leaking oil (2.1.1 (e) (i))

Pass 22 Aug 2019 105,436 miles

Offside Obligatory mirror slightly damaged (3.3 (b) (i))

Fail 21 Aug 2019 105,432 miles

Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Obligatory mirror slightly damaged (3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 2 Mar 2018 97,782 miles
Fail 9 Feb 2018 97,715 miles

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

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

Offside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded union onto flexi hose (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Obligatory mirror damaged, but not seriously affecting the rear view (8.1.2a)

Nearside Rear foot brake not working

Offside Rear foot brake not working

Pass 10 Feb 2017 93,167 miles
Fail 7 Feb 2017 93,165 miles

Brake pedal spongy (3.3.B.1b)

Nearside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour lamp broken (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Front Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

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

Pass 2 Sep 2015 85,608 miles
Fail 2 Sep 2015 85,608 miles

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 13 inch (8.2.2)

Offside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 13 inch (8.2.2)

Pass 3 Mar 2014 77,995 miles
Fail 3 Mar 2014 77,995 miles

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

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Fail 4 Feb 2014 77,964 miles

Nearside Front Ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Nearside Front Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Rear Drive shaft uj which forms part of the suspension has excessive play in a universal joint (2.4.G.4b)

Pass 4 Dec 2012 73,043 miles
Pass 16 Nov 2011 68,491 miles
Pass 4 Jun 2010 62,734 miles
Fail 4 Jun 2010 62,734 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Pass 2 Jun 2009 58,199 miles

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

both front steering spheres leaking.

Fail 25 Apr 2008 50,271 miles

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

Pass 25 Apr 2008 50,271 miles
Pass 30 Oct 2007 46,909 miles
Pass 2 Nov 2006 35,574 miles
Fail 17 Jul 2006 34,533 miles

Centre Rear Upper Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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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AV53 DKJ is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Grey with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 57.7%.

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 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 AV53 DKJ, 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 AV53 DKJ?

You can check the full history of AV53 DKJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was AV53 DKJ registered?

AV53 DKJ is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 13 September 2003.

Is AV53 DKJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for AV53 DKJ shows 26 tests with a 57.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does AV53 DKJ 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 AV53 DKJ. 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.