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VX53 JYW

2003 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires20 Oct 2026
Tests27 (19 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate70.4%

Mileage

209,888 mi
Last recorded209,888 miles
Recorded on21 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

RegistrationVX53 JYW
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year2003
ColourBlue
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

19 pass 8 fail
Pass 21 Oct 2025 209,888 miles

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

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

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Fail 15 Oct 2025 209,877 miles

Rear Upper Suspension component pin or bush excessively worn shock absorber (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

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

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Pass 11 Oct 2024 209,061 miles

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 19 Apr 2023 208,471 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

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

Fail 31 Mar 2023 208,471 miles

Brake performance unable to be tested (1.2.1 (g))

Nearside Front Brake pipe leaking on a hydraulic braking system (1.1.11 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

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

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

Pass 4 Apr 2022 207,549 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material brake flexi to caliper (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material brake flexi to caliper (1.1.11 (c))

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

Pass 7 Apr 2021 206,960 miles

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

Power steering component has slight seepage from a component Steering box (2.1.5 (a))

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

Pass 27 Feb 2020 206,123 miles
Pass 4 Mar 2019 205,148 miles

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Pass 5 Mar 2018 204,078 miles

Nearside Rear Outer Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Oil leak slight leak from sump ()

Pass 5 Jan 2017 200,105 miles

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

Nearside Rear Lower Anti-roll bar linkage rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded link brake pipe on caliper. (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced headlamp reflector corrosion. (1.7.5a)

Offside Front Upper Driver's door hinge deteriorated but the door can still be readily opened and closed (6.2.B.2)

Offside Front swivel hub seal oil seepage.

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

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

Pass 7 Jan 2016 187,963 miles

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

Nearside Rear Lower Anti-roll bar linkage rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Front Lower Axle swivel joint has slight play pin/ bearing (2.5.A.3b)

Offside Rear Body has slight corrosion side panel (6.1.B.2)

Offside Rear Rear reflector slightly damaged but function not impaired (1.5.1c)

Rear Body has slight corrosion tow bar electric socket mounting plate. (6.1.B.2)

Rear registration plate delaminated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Fail 4 Dec 2015 187,934 miles

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

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

Offside Rear Lower Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

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

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

Offside Front Front suspension has slight movement at a suspension ball joint lower hub ball bearing (2.5.A.1c)

Pass 4 Dec 2014 180,457 miles

Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Nearside Rear Lower Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Rear Lower Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Pass 14 Oct 2013 163,336 miles

Oil leak

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

brake pedal anti slip rubber slightly worn

clutch pedal anti slip rubber missing

Fail 4 Oct 2013 162,888 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

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

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Oil leak

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

brake pedal anti slip rubber slightly worn

clutch pedal anti slip rubber missing

o/s headlamp cracked

Pass 16 Oct 2012 145,737 miles

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

Fail 20 Sep 2012 145,036 miles

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

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

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

Offside Headlamp damaged but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

noise from rear brakes

Pass 3 Oct 2011 132,841 miles

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Headlamp damaged but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

hard to check condition of main brake pipe on top of chassis leg

Fail 22 Sep 2011 132,752 miles

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

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.C.1b)

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Headlamp damaged but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

hard to check condition of main brake pipe on top of chassis leg

Pass 30 Sep 2010 116,471 miles

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.C.1b)

Pass 3 Oct 2009 101,286 miles

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

front brake discs and pads wearing thin

Fail 30 Sep 2009 101,032 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Windscreen wiper not operating automatically when switched on (8.2.1b)

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage insecure (2.4.G.1)

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

front brake discs and pads wearing thin

Pass 3 Oct 2008 84,599 miles
Fail 16 Sep 2008 83,944 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Pass 27 Sep 2007 72,358 miles
Pass 4 Oct 2006 58,874 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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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.

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VX53 JYW is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70.4%.

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 VX53 JYW, 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 VX53 JYW?

You can check the full history of VX53 JYW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was VX53 JYW registered?

VX53 JYW is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 14 November 2003.

Is VX53 JYW safe to buy?

The MOT history for VX53 JYW shows 27 tests with a 70.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does VX53 JYW 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 VX53 JYW. 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.