CarVerify

Free Car Check

S253 CEJ

1999 Land Rover Defender

Red Diesel 2494cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires21 May 2027
Tests24 (20 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate83.3%

Mileage

215,264 mi
Last recorded215,264 miles
Recorded on21 May 2026
Typical for 1999 Land Rover Defender106,873 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 £14.99

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

RegistrationS253 CEJ
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1999
ColourRed
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,494cc

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 21 May 2026 215,264 miles

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

Nearside Front outrigger corroded

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure is repaired but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced chassis repaired and coated in underseal not allowing full inspection (6.1.1 (d) (i))

Nearside Rear reflector defective or damaged by up to 50% of the reflecting surface (4.8.1 (a) (i))

Offside Front Brake master cylinder/servo mounting repair covered in underseal (1.1.21 (e) (i))

Offside Front Brake pipe clips or supports missing, pipe adequately supported pipe to front flexy (1.1.11 (d) (i))

Offside Front Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b))

Offside Front outrigger corroded

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

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

Steering box has seepage (2.1.1 (e) (i))

Pass 15 May 2025 207,294 miles

Offside Front Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b))

Offside Rear body lower corner corroded not likely to cause injury

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

Pass 22 May 2024 199,481 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre obviously under inflated (5.2.3 (l))

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Fail 21 May 2024 199,481 miles

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

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Front Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Tyre obviously under inflated (5.2.3 (l))

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Pass 30 Jan 2023 189,294 miles

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

Pass 16 Feb 2022 185,327 miles

Brake master cylinder/servo mounting repair covered in underseal (1.1.21 (e) (i))

Offside Drag link end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

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

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting repair covered in underseal (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Fail 15 Feb 2022 185,312 miles

Offside Brake master cylinder/servo mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (1.1.21 (e) (i))

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

Offside Drag link end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

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

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

Pass 24 Feb 2021 181,097 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

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

Nearside Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Front Brake pipe clips or supports missing, pipe adequately supported (1.1.11 (d) (i))

Offside Front Headlamp has a product on the light source but not seriously reducing light output (4.1.4 (b))

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

Offside Front Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.3.6 (a) (i))

hand brake just meets limits

Fail 24 Feb 2021 181,097 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Front Brake pipe clips or supports missing, pipe adequately supported (1.1.11 (d) (i))

Offside Front Headlamp has a product on the light source but not seriously reducing light output (4.1.4 (b))

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

Offside Front Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.3.6 (a) (i))

hand brake just meets limits

Pass 3 Jun 2019 172,959 miles

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

Pass 4 Jun 2018 168,047 miles
Pass 9 May 2017 161,767 miles
Pass 3 May 2016 155,698 miles
Pass 1 May 2015 152,216 miles
Pass 23 Apr 2014 147,377 miles

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

Pass 23 Apr 2013 142,260 miles
Pass 25 Apr 2012 136,839 miles
Pass 19 Apr 2011 128,212 miles
Pass 21 Apr 2010 117,733 miles

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

Pass 8 Apr 2009 106,401 miles
Pass 18 Apr 2008 96,366 miles
Fail 17 Apr 2008 96,366 miles

Offside Front Seat belt has a cut which has significantly weakened the webbing (5.2.2a)

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

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

Pass 16 Apr 2007 85,719 miles
Pass 3 Apr 2006 74,784 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

S253 CEJ is a 1999 Land Rover Defender in Red with a 2,494cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 83.3%.

Across all 1999 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 70.6% with a typical mileage of 106,873 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 S253 CEJ, 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 27 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 S253 CEJ?

You can check the full history of S253 CEJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S253 CEJ registered?

S253 CEJ is a 1999 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 3 February 1999.

Is S253 CEJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for S253 CEJ 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 S253 CEJ 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 S253 CEJ. 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.