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AV53 FUJ

2003 Land Rover Defender

Black Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires12 Aug 2026
Tests27 (20 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate74.1%

Mileage

173,464 mi
Last recorded173,464 miles
Recorded on8 Aug 2025
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 FUJ
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year2003
ColourBlack
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 7 fail
Pass 8 Aug 2025 173,464 miles

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

Offside Front Lower Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush bush deteriorated (5.3.2 (c))

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

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

Underside of vehicle covered in underseal

Pass 5 Aug 2024 165,954 miles
Fail 2 Aug 2024 165,735 miles

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

Pass 4 Aug 2023 159,362 miles
Pass 12 Aug 2022 154,369 miles
Pass 12 Aug 2021 149,951 miles
Fail 30 Jul 2021 149,698 miles

Brake lever has insufficient reserve travel (1.1.2 (a))

Nearside Rear Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

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

Offside Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt steering box (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Rear Prop shaft joint excessively worn rear joint (6.1.7 (c) (i))

Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (4.7.1 (b) (ii))

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Rear Brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened both rear inner faces correded (1.1.14 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 13 Aug 2020 141,065 miles

Nearside Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced body mounting out rigger (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced body mounting out rigger (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 11 Apr 2019 130,808 miles
Fail 2 Apr 2019 130,701 miles

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

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

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

Pass 29 Mar 2018 116,918 miles
Fail 26 Mar 2018 116,870 miles

Fuel system component leaking from engine (7.2.3)

Nearside Front Seat belt retracting mechanism defective (5.2.5b)

Pass 24 Mar 2017 99,013 miles
Fail 17 Mar 2017 98,752 miles

Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle 50% (3.7.B.5b)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Direction indicator incorrect colour lens broken (1.4.A.2f)

Pass 29 Feb 2016 79,464 miles

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

Pass 2 Mar 2015 62,678 miles
Pass 6 Mar 2014 44,364 miles
Pass 9 May 2013 40,863 miles
Pass 23 Mar 2012 40,081 miles

Nearside Front Lower Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Front Lower Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

all tyres perishing

nearside rear hub tight

Fail 23 Mar 2012 40,081 miles

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Nearside Front Lower Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Front Lower Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

all tyres perishing

nearside rear hub tight

Pass 2 Mar 2011 39,592 miles
Pass 24 Mar 2010 35,606 miles
Pass 16 Feb 2009 35,200 miles
Pass 13 Feb 2008 34,425 miles
Fail 13 Feb 2008 34,423 miles

Offside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

Pass 22 Feb 2007 26,581 miles

Offside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Pass 13 Sep 2006 24,669 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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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.

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AV53 FUJ is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Black with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 74.1%.

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 AV53 FUJ, 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 FUJ?

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

What year was AV53 FUJ registered?

AV53 FUJ is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 30 September 2003.

Is AV53 FUJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for AV53 FUJ shows 27 tests with a 74.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does AV53 FUJ 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 FUJ. 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.