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BV52 RFO

2003 Land Rover Defender

White Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires2 Nov 2026
Tests24 (15 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate62.5%

Mileage

162,994 mi
Last recorded162,994 miles
Recorded on20 Oct 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

RegistrationBV52 RFO
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year2003
ColourWhite
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 9 fail
Pass 20 Oct 2025 162,994 miles
Fail 16 Oct 2025 162,913 miles

Nearside Rear Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Hazard warning lamps inoperative (4.4.1 (e))

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

Pass 24 Oct 2024 156,438 miles

Front steering damper bush worn

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

Steering system slightly rough power steering level ok! steering box (2.1.1 (a))

Fail 24 Oct 2024 156,438 miles

Front steering damper bush worn

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

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

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

Steering system slightly rough power steering level ok! steering box (2.1.1 (a))

Pass 3 Nov 2023 149,419 miles

Front Coolant leak ()

Nearside Rear brake backing plate missing

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

Fail 27 Oct 2023 149,288 miles

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

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

Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

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

Nearside Rear brake backing plate missing

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

Pass 27 Oct 2022 141,862 miles
Fail 27 Oct 2022 141,859 miles

Nearside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

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

Pass 28 Oct 2021 137,556 miles

Nearside Front Seat belt slightly damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

Offside Front Seat belt slightly damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

Fail 18 Oct 2021 137,433 miles

Exhaust emissions test not completed because smoke levels are significantly in excess of the specified limit values (8.2.2.2 (f))

Nearside Rear Brake disc contaminated (1.1.14 (b))

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

Parking brake lever defective so that it cannot be satisfactorily operated (1.1.6 (d))

Position lamp switch does not operate in accordance with the requirements (4.2.2 (a))

Nearside Front Seat belt slightly damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

Offside Front Seat belt slightly damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

Pass 26 Oct 2020 133,546 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge cracking/perishing (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge cracking/perishing (5.2.3 (e))

nearside rear tyre cracking/perishing, advise replace

offside rear tyre cracking/perishing, advise replace

Fail 19 Oct 2020 133,492 miles

Nearside Front Wheel bearing rough when rotated (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Windscreen washer jets misaligned and not providing sufficient fluid to the windscreen recheck wiper (3.5 (a))

Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement radius arm front bushes (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge cracking/perishing (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement radius arm front bushes (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge cracking/perishing (5.2.3 (e))

nearside rear tyre cracking/perishing, advise replace

offside rear tyre cracking/perishing, advise replace

Pass 28 Oct 2019 128,913 miles

both front tyre tread depth 3mm, legal limit 1.6mm, cracking

both rear tyres cracking

nearside front brake binding

Fail 23 Oct 2019 128,911 miles

Brake servo defective or ineffective (1.1.10 (a) (i))

Offside Front Brake valve leaking (1.1.7 (d) (i))

Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))

Offside Electrical wiring likely to touch hot or rotating parts (4.11 (a) (iii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Valve stem seriously damaged (5.2.3 (j)) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Nail in tyre ()

both front tyre tread depth 3mm, legal limit 1.6mm, cracking

both rear tyres cracking

coolant low

nearside front brake binding

Pass 31 Oct 2018 123,774 miles

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

Fail 29 Oct 2018 123,766 miles

Horn not working (7.7 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Brake disc contaminated (1.1.14 (b))

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle 41n/s 75o/s 45% (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively Both (3.4 (b) (ii))

Driver's seat backrest cannot be secured in the upright position. (6.2.5 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

NSR brake disc corroded

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

Pass 6 Aug 2013 111,707 miles
Pass 24 Aug 2011 93,895 miles
Fail 3 Aug 2010 83,686 miles

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

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

Pass 3 Aug 2010 83,686 miles
Pass 3 Jan 2009 35,327 miles
Pass 24 Dec 2007 35,145 miles
Pass 6 Feb 2007 30,060 miles
Pass 14 Feb 2006 21,157 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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BV52 RFO is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in White with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 62.5%.

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 BV52 RFO, 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 BV52 RFO?

You can check the full history of BV52 RFO by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was BV52 RFO registered?

BV52 RFO is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 24 February 2003.

Is BV52 RFO safe to buy?

The MOT history for BV52 RFO shows 24 tests with a 62.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does BV52 RFO 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 BV52 RFO. 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.