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Y55 DEF

2003 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires16 Dec 2026
Tests40 (28 pass, 12 fail)
Pass rate70%

Mileage

80,413 mi
Last recorded80,413 miles
Recorded on17 Dec 2025
Typical for 2003 Land Rover Defender86,068 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationY55 DEF
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

28 pass 12 fail
Pass 17 Dec 2025 80,413 miles

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

Steering box leaking oil (2.1.1 (e) (i))

Pass 7 May 2025 80,132 miles

Central Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material central offside at rear end (1.1.11 (c))

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

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

Offside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened slight pitting (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

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

Offside Rear Seat belt flexible stalk damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage slight seepage around reservoir area (2.1.5 (a))

Pass 28 Mar 2025 111,519 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe very close to spring cup when turning wheel. (0.25mm)

Offside Front Brake pipe disfigured

Pass 17 Apr 2024 79,458 miles

Central Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material offside at rear corroded (1.1.11 (c))

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

Nearside Front Seat belt slightly damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

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

Offside Rear Seat belt buckle slightly damaged (7.1.2 (d))

Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage reservoir area (2.1.5 (a))

Fail 17 Apr 2024 79,458 miles

Nearside Front Bumper damaged and likely to cause injury when grazed or contacted (6.1.4 (a) (i))

Central Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material offside at rear corroded (1.1.11 (c))

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

Nearside Front Seat belt slightly damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

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

Offside Rear Seat belt buckle slightly damaged (7.1.2 (d))

Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage reservoir area (2.1.5 (a))

Pass 19 Mar 2024 110,100 miles
Pass 5 Apr 2023 78,169 miles

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

Nearside Front Seat belt slightly damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

Offside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened slight pitting (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Seat belt flexible stalk damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

Fail 3 Apr 2023 78,164 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))

Electronic stability control warning lamp indicates a fault (7.12 (e))

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint worn to the extent there is a serious risk of detachment (2.1.3 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

Nearside Front Seat belt slightly damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

Offside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened slight pitting (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Seat belt flexible stalk damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

Pass 31 Mar 2023 109,359 miles
Pass 3 Mar 2022 107,211 miles
Pass 2 Oct 2021 77,620 miles
Fail 2 Oct 2021 77,620 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))

Pass 26 Feb 2021 103,638 miles
Fail 22 Feb 2021 103,637 miles

Offside Rear Seat belt damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Steering linkage ball joint ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt rear steering arm (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Pass 1 Oct 2020 74,354 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases front flex pipe (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Seat belt slightly damaged webbing damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

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

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing heavily cracked (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing heavily cracked (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Fail 30 Sep 2020 74,354 miles

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

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases front flex pipe (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Seat belt slightly damaged webbing damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

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

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing heavily cracked (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing heavily cracked (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Fail 7 Sep 2020 74,336 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))

Electronic stability control warning lamp indicates a fault (7.12 (e))

Nearside Body component corroded and likely to cause injury side step (6.2.1 (a) (i))

Offside Body component corroded and likely to cause injury side step (6.2.1 (a) (i))

Offside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure wall cracked and bulged (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases front flex coupling (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Seat belt slightly damaged webbing damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

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

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing heavily cracked (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing heavily cracked (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 16 Mar 2020 101,588 miles
Fail 13 Mar 2020 101,581 miles

Central Rear Upper Suspension component ball joint excessively worn diff (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 21 Feb 2019 93,229 miles

Central Front Items removed from driver's view prior to test MIRROR ()

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

Fail 21 Feb 2019 93,229 miles

Central Front Items removed from driver's view prior to test MIRROR ()

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

Pass 3 Sep 2018 70,481 miles

Central Entrance/exit step in a deteriorated condition (9.7 (a) (i))

Nearside Entrance/exit step in a deteriorated condition (9.7 (a) (i))

Fail 3 Sep 2018 70,481 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))

Electronic stability control warning lamp indicates a fault (7.12 (e))

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))

Central Entrance/exit step in a deteriorated condition (9.7 (a) (i))

Nearside Entrance/exit step in a deteriorated condition (9.7 (a) (i))

Pass 20 Mar 2018 88,601 miles
Pass 24 Oct 2016 68,564 miles

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

Fail 15 Oct 2016 68,560 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

Exhaust emits an excessive level of metered smoke for a turbo charged engine opacity =5.36 (7.4.B.3b)

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

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

Offside Front Seat belt damaged sufficient to significantly weakened the webbing (5.2.2a)

Offside Rear rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Offside Rear rear brake excessively fluctuating (3.7.B.3)

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (3.7.B.5b)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pass 31 May 2016 85,934 miles

Diff leaking slight

Near side front hub seal leaking slightly

Pass 27 Oct 2015 67,255 miles

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

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

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

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

Fail 27 Oct 2015 67,255 miles

Centre Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

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

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

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 21 May 2015 78,501 miles
Pass 28 Apr 2014 65,271 miles
Pass 29 Oct 2013 64,278 miles
Pass 24 Apr 2013 58,593 miles
Pass 6 Nov 2012 55,233 miles
Pass 28 Aug 2012 62,436 miles
Fail 25 Aug 2012 62,436 miles

Fuel system component leaking (7.2.3)

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

Offside Rear rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

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

Pass 14 Aug 2009 40,732 miles
Pass 28 Aug 2008 28,061 miles
Pass 11 Dec 2007 27,067 miles
Pass 12 Dec 2006 21,381 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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Y55 DEF is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 40 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70%.

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 Y55 DEF, 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 Y55 DEF?

You can check the full history of Y55 DEF by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was Y55 DEF registered?

Y55 DEF is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 20 December 2003.

Is Y55 DEF safe to buy?

The MOT history for Y55 DEF shows 40 tests with a 70% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does Y55 DEF 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 Y55 DEF. 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.