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BD53 YEL

2003 Land Rover Defender

Silver Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires21 Oct 2026
Tests26 (16 pass, 10 fail)
Pass rate61.5%

Mileage

84,425 mi
Last recorded84,425 miles
Recorded on22 Oct 2025
Typical for 2003 Land Rover Defender86,068 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationBD53 YEL
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year2003
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

16 pass 10 fail
Pass 22 Oct 2025 84,425 miles

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

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

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

Rear Chassis legs corroded ( around tow bar area )

Pass 11 Sep 2024 84,351 miles

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

Fail 11 Sep 2024 84,351 miles

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

Offside Rear reflector missing (4.8.2 (a) (ii))

Fail 16 Aug 2024 84,335 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 26 May 2023 84,278 miles

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

Pass 15 Feb 2022 79,072 miles
Fail 14 Feb 2022 79,072 miles

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength rear cross member (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 1 Dec 2020 71,733 miles
Fail 11 Nov 2020 71,702 miles

Exhaust emissions exceed level of metered smoke for a turbo charged engine (8.2.2.2 (b))

Fuel system component leaking rear of engine (6.1.3 (b) (i))

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

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Pass 30 Oct 2019 62,604 miles
Fail 25 Oct 2019 62,598 miles

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

Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements front and rear (0.1 (d))

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Pass 19 Oct 2018 56,688 miles

Exhaust noisy (8.1.1 (a))

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

Fail 18 Oct 2018 56,683 miles

Exhaust emissions exceed level of metered smoke for a turbo charged engine (8.2.2.2 (b))

Exhaust emissions exceed manufacturer's specified limit (8.2.2.2 (a))

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

Exhaust noisy (8.1.1 (a))

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

Pass 17 Oct 2017 49,667 miles
Fail 17 Oct 2017 49,667 miles

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

Pass 28 Oct 2015 49,648 miles
Fail 10 Oct 2015 49,647 miles

Exhaust emits an excessive level of metered smoke for a turbo charged engine (7.4.B.3b)

Pass 9 Apr 2014 49,621 miles
Pass 13 Aug 2012 46,480 miles
Fail 31 Jul 2012 46,480 miles

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

Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

both front hub oil seals leaking

Pass 19 Jul 2011 43,833 miles

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

Rear brake discs corroded on inner surface

Pass 21 Jul 2010 36,230 miles
Pass 2 Jul 2009 34,061 miles

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

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

Service brake: service brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Pass 24 Jun 2008 25,406 miles
Fail 12 Jun 2007 13,461 miles

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

Pass 12 Jun 2007 13,461 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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BD53 YEL is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Silver with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 61.5%.

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 BD53 YEL, 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 BD53 YEL?

You can check the full history of BD53 YEL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was BD53 YEL registered?

BD53 YEL is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 19 November 2003.

Is BD53 YEL safe to buy?

The MOT history for BD53 YEL shows 26 tests with a 61.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does BD53 YEL 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 BD53 YEL. 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.