CarVerify

Free Car Check

CU53 HKL

2003 Land Rover Defender

Red Diesel 2495cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires5 Aug 2027
Tests24 (20 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate83.3%

Mileage

135,595 mi
Last recorded135,595 miles
Recorded on22 Jul 2026
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

RegistrationCU53 HKL
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year2003
ColourRed
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 4 fail
Pass 22 Jul 2026 135,595 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush lower bush (5.3.2 (c))

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

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

Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 6 Aug 2025 125,713 miles

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

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

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

Fail 6 Aug 2025 125,707 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Service brake excessively fluctuating (1.2.1 (e))

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

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

Pass 19 Jul 2024 122,530 miles

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

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

Pass 1 Aug 2023 121,147 miles

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

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

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

Pass 8 Jul 2022 119,239 miles

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

Pass 15 Jul 2021 116,904 miles

Nearside Rear Brake disc in poor condition

Pass 8 Jun 2020 111,957 miles
Pass 22 Jan 2019 109,811 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension rod pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension rod pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Fail 18 Jan 2019 109,799 miles

Front Prop shaft joint excessively worn (6.1.7 (c) (i))

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

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

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

Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Nearside Rear Suspension rod pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Offside Rear Suspension rod pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 19 Jan 2018 104,285 miles
Pass 22 Nov 2016 97,463 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 22 Dec 2015 92,454 miles
Pass 16 Dec 2014 87,214 miles
Fail 13 Dec 2013 81,243 miles

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

Nearside Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Pass 13 Dec 2013 81,243 miles

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

Nearside Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Pass 12 Dec 2012 75,477 miles

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

Pass 12 Dec 2011 68,696 miles
Pass 29 Nov 2010 61,332 miles

n/s/f door dosent always closeon second latch

Fail 29 Nov 2010 61,332 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim aimed so that it dazzles other road users (1.8.A.1a)

n/s/f door dosent always closeon second latch

Pass 27 Nov 2009 55,173 miles
Pass 12 Dec 2008 46,615 miles
Pass 11 Dec 2007 37,607 miles
Pass 8 Dec 2006 28,431 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

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

CU53 HKL is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Red with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 83.3%.

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 CU53 HKL, 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 CU53 HKL?

You can check the full history of CU53 HKL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was CU53 HKL registered?

CU53 HKL is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 5 December 2003.

Is CU53 HKL safe to buy?

The MOT history for CU53 HKL shows 24 tests with a 83.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does CU53 HKL 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 CU53 HKL. 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.