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VK53 ZKU

2003 Mercedes-benz A-class

Black Petrol 1397cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires4 Nov 2026
Tests28 (20 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate71.4%

Mileage

138,627 mi
Last recorded138,627 miles
Recorded on27 Oct 2025
Typical for 2003 Mercedes-benz A-class59,196 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Mercedes-benz
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Finance
Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationVK53 ZKU
MakeMercedes-benz
ModelA-class
Year2003
ColourBlack
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,397cc

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 8 fail
Pass 27 Oct 2025 138,627 miles

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 10 Oct 2024 133,084 miles
Pass 23 Oct 2023 129,149 miles

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

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

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

Fail 23 Oct 2023 129,149 miles

Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))

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

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

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

Pass 17 Oct 2022 124,464 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

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

OUTER SKIN ON SILENCER CORRODED

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

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

Fail 11 Oct 2022 124,459 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

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

OUTER SKIN ON SILENCER CORRODED

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

Rear Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

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

Pass 26 Oct 2021 119,777 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material both (1.1.11 (c))

silencer outer skin corroded

Pass 19 Oct 2020 115,596 miles
Fail 19 Oct 2020 115,594 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre has a lump, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

Pass 10 Oct 2019 110,143 miles
Pass 5 Nov 2018 104,575 miles
Fail 23 Oct 2018 104,215 miles

Nearside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

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

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))

Pass 11 Oct 2017 94,722 miles
Pass 24 Oct 2016 86,389 miles
Fail 19 Oct 2016 86,369 miles

Offside Front coil spring broken (2.4.C.1a)

Pass 22 Oct 2015 80,598 miles
Fail 22 Oct 2015 80,597 miles

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

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit 2.mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Rear worn unevenly

Pass 31 Oct 2014 73,935 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 17 Sep 2013 60,872 miles
Pass 4 Sep 2012 58,713 miles

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Service brake: service brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

both rear tyres wearing unevenly

Fail 4 Sep 2012 58,713 miles

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

Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

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

both rear tyres wearing unevenly

Pass 30 Sep 2011 49,695 miles

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

Pass 21 Sep 2010 46,353 miles

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)

Rear Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Pass 29 Sep 2009 43,595 miles
Pass 1 Sep 2008 34,977 miles
Fail 1 Sep 2008 34,977 miles

Offside Front Brake hose excessively deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Pass 26 Sep 2007 27,160 miles
Pass 22 Sep 2006 21,013 miles

How Reliable is the Mercedes-benz A-class?

Based on 4,204,702 MOT tests across 368,463 vehicles.

77.6%
Pass Rate
5,763
Miles/Year
28
Year Lifespan
368,463
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 63,616
Brake pipe excessively corroded 58,529
Stop lamp not working 50,991
Registration plate lamp not working 41,728
Brake hose excessively deteriorated 38,250
Full Mercedes-benz A-class reliability report

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VK53 ZKU is a 2003 Mercedes-benz A-class in Black with a 1,397cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 28 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 71.4%.

Across all 2003 Mercedes-benz A-class models, the average MOT pass rate is 72.0% with a typical mileage of 59,196 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 Mercedes-benz A-class fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 63,616 recorded failures. If you're considering buying VK53 ZKU, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Mercedes-benz A-class typically stays on UK roads for around 28 years. At 23 years old, this Mercedes-benz A-class is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of VK53 ZKU?

You can check the full history of VK53 ZKU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was VK53 ZKU registered?

VK53 ZKU is a 2003 Mercedes-benz A-class, first registered on 30 September 2003.

Is VK53 ZKU safe to buy?

The MOT history for VK53 ZKU shows 28 tests with a 71.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does VK53 ZKU 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 VK53 ZKU. 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.