CarVerify

Free Car Check

BJ53 FEK

2003 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2495cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires22 Nov 2026
Tests27 (19 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate70.4%

Mileage

131,003 mi
Last recorded131,003 miles
Recorded on22 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
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationBJ53 FEK
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year2003
ColourBlue
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

19 pass 8 fail
Pass 22 Nov 2025 131,003 miles
Pass 23 Nov 2024 128,737 miles
Pass 4 Nov 2023 126,906 miles
Pass 29 Oct 2022 123,324 miles
Pass 30 Oct 2021 119,320 miles
Pass 31 Oct 2020 114,597 miles
Pass 31 Aug 2019 110,449 miles

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

Pass 16 May 2018 107,352 miles

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

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

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

Fail 14 May 2018 107,348 miles

Emissions not tested engine misfire (7.4.B.1)

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

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

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

Pass 28 Feb 2017 104,963 miles

Front Oil leak ()

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

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

Fail 22 Feb 2017 104,953 miles

Offside Rear brake disc contaminated by oil (3.5.1h)

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (3.7.D.2c)

Front Oil leak ()

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

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

Pass 2 Feb 2016 100,933 miles

Brake pipe slightly corroded both front and both rear (3.6.B.2c)

engine covers fitted

movement in offside bonnet hinge

offside front door check strap not attached

Fail 29 Jan 2016 100,908 miles

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.D.4)

Power steering pump leaking from a failed component (2.3.3b)

Registration plate lamp not illuminating the registration plate (1.1.C.1e)

Brake pipe slightly corroded both front and both rear (3.6.B.2c)

engine covers fitted

movement in offside bonnet hinge

offside front door check strap not attached

Pass 28 Jan 2015 97,030 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

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

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

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

Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1a)

n/s door mirror cracked

Fail 28 Jan 2015 97,030 miles

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

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

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

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

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

Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1a)

n/s door mirror cracked

Pass 24 Jan 2014 93,960 miles

both front inner hub ball seals are leaking

Pass 25 Jan 2013 91,957 miles

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

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

Fail 25 Jan 2013 91,957 miles

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

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

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

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

Fail 13 Jan 2012 89,132 miles

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

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

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

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

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

advise - exposed wires under bonnet

advise - trailer socket faulty

Pass 13 Jan 2012 89,132 miles

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

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

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

advise - exposed wires under bonnet

advise - trailer socket faulty

Pass 4 Nov 2010 85,786 miles

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

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

Fail 2 Nov 2010 85,786 miles

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

Nearside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

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

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

Pass 30 Sep 2009 82,304 miles
Fail 29 Sep 2009 82,304 miles

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

Nearside Front Direction indicator insecure (1.4.A.2b)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Rear Tyre has a lump, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (4.1.D.1b)

Pass 2 Oct 2008 77,081 miles
Pass 1 Oct 2007 72,561 miles
Pass 2 Mar 2007 68,207 miles

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

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

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

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.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

BJ53 FEK is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70.4%.

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 BJ53 FEK, 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 BJ53 FEK?

You can check the full history of BJ53 FEK by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was BJ53 FEK registered?

BJ53 FEK is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 29 September 2003.

Is BJ53 FEK safe to buy?

The MOT history for BJ53 FEK shows 27 tests with a 70.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does BJ53 FEK 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 BJ53 FEK. 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.