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BF53 TKU

2003 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires24 Nov 2026
Tests25 (21 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate84%

Mileage

300,606 mi
Last recorded300,606 miles
Recorded on3 Nov 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
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationBF53 TKU
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 4 fail
Pass 3 Nov 2025 300,606 miles
Pass 14 Nov 2024 292,748 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

Pass 22 Nov 2023 283,389 miles

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

Rear Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Fail 20 Nov 2023 283,386 miles

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has excessive play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

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

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

Rear Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Pass 21 Nov 2022 269,712 miles

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

Pass 16 Nov 2021 254,322 miles

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

Pass 20 Nov 2020 239,809 miles
Pass 18 Nov 2019 226,361 miles
Pass 23 Nov 2018 211,353 miles

Offside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened inner edge (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Pass 24 Nov 2017 197,829 miles
Fail 22 Nov 2017 197,806 miles

Nearside Front Axle swivel joint has excessive play (2.5.A.3b) DANGEROUS

Pass 25 Nov 2016 183,157 miles
Fail 22 Nov 2016 183,147 miles

Nearside Front Axle swivel joint has excessive play in a swivel pin (2.5.A.3b)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear disc inner edge pitted

Pass 19 Nov 2015 165,557 miles
Pass 14 Nov 2014 150,508 miles
Pass 14 Nov 2013 136,028 miles

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 8 Nov 2012 113,875 miles
Fail 8 Nov 2012 113,875 miles

Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Pass 4 Nov 2011 104,821 miles

slightly oil leak from steering box

Pass 19 Nov 2010 88,417 miles

Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a slightly worn shock absorber pivot (2.7.4)

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a slightly worn shock absorber pivot (2.7.4)

rear brake pad's low

Pass 18 Jun 2010 81,554 miles
Pass 25 Jun 2009 66,777 miles

Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Pass 30 Jun 2008 53,754 miles

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Pass 3 Jul 2007 36,996 miles
Pass 4 Jul 2006 23,906 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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BF53 TKU is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 84%.

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 BF53 TKU, 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 BF53 TKU?

You can check the full history of BF53 TKU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was BF53 TKU registered?

BF53 TKU is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 September 2003.

Is BF53 TKU safe to buy?

The MOT history for BF53 TKU shows 25 tests with a 84% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does BF53 TKU 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 BF53 TKU. 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.