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S553 VBC

1999 Land Rover Defender

Black Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires20 Aug 2027
Tests33 (21 pass, 12 fail)
Pass rate63.6%

Mileage

146,242 mi
Last recorded146,242 miles
Recorded on21 Aug 2026
Typical for 1999 Land Rover Defender106,873 mi

Above average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationS553 VBC
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1999
ColourBlack
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 12 fail
Pass 21 Aug 2026 146,242 miles

Coil spring corroded All (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Fail 20 Aug 2026 146,242 miles

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

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

Coil spring corroded All (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Pass 11 Aug 2025 143,742 miles

Front Coil spring corroded offside and nearside (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Rear Coil spring corroded offside and nearside (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Pass 9 Aug 2024 140,572 miles

Fuel tank slightly loose (6.1.3 (a) (i))

Fail 8 Aug 2024 140,570 miles

Central Rear Fuel tank insecure Tank holder rotten (6.1.3 (a) (i))

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

Pass 3 Aug 2023 138,327 miles

Fuel tank slightly loose (6.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 28 Jul 2022 135,568 miles
Fail 27 Jul 2022 135,568 miles

Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded to the extent that control of the vehicle is likely to be adversely affected (5.3.6 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 2 Aug 2021 133,348 miles
Fail 2 Aug 2021 133,348 miles

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

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

Pass 30 Jul 2020 132,343 miles
Pass 9 May 2019 130,031 miles
Pass 10 May 2018 128,221 miles
Fail 6 Feb 2018 128,201 miles

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

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion which adversely affects braking or steering (6.1.A.1)

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion which adversely affects braking or steering cross member (6.1.A.1)

Offside Rear Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion which adversely affects braking or steering cross member (6.1.A.1)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 10 Feb 2017 126,466 miles

Rear Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Pass 5 Feb 2016 123,758 miles
Fail 3 Feb 2016 123,758 miles

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

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

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

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Rear Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion which adversely affects braking or steering crossmember (6.1.A.1)

Pass 20 Jan 2015 121,951 miles
Pass 23 Jan 2014 118,495 miles
Fail 22 Jan 2014 118,495 miles

Nearside Drag link end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Fail 2 Jan 2013 113,603 miles

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

Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 2 Jan 2013 113,603 miles
Pass 11 Jan 2012 108,679 miles
Fail 10 Jan 2012 108,679 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

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

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Pass 12 Jan 2011 159,868 miles
Pass 15 Jan 2010 94,411 miles
Fail 7 Jan 2009 86,353 miles

Offside Rear Seat belt stitching incomplete (5.2.2b)

Pass 7 Jan 2009 86,353 miles
Pass 15 Jan 2008 79,454 miles
Pass 5 Jan 2007 70,245 miles
Fail 5 Jan 2007 70,452 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim not tested (1.8.A.1c)

Nearside Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Rear registration plate obscured (6.3.1d)

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

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

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

note ; seating capacity not counting side facing seats

Pass 13 Jan 2006 63,272 miles
Fail 12 Jan 2006 63,272 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Offside Rear Fuel system component leaking (7.2.3) DANGEROUS

Rear Fuel system component leaking (7.2.3) DANGEROUS

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Offside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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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S553 VBC is a 1999 Land Rover Defender in Black with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 33 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 63.6%.

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 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 S553 VBC, 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 S553 VBC?

You can check the full history of S553 VBC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S553 VBC registered?

S553 VBC is a 1999 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 8 January 1999.

Is S553 VBC safe to buy?

The MOT history for S553 VBC shows 33 tests with a 63.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does S553 VBC 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 S553 VBC. 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.