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YB53 EKT

2003 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires28 Oct 2026
Tests23 (17 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate73.9%

Mileage

137,000 mi
Last recorded137,000 miles
Recorded on29 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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Finance
Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationYB53 EKT
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

17 pass 6 fail
Pass 29 Oct 2025 137,000 miles
Pass 20 Sep 2024 131,025 miles

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

Pass 22 Aug 2023 123,786 miles

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

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

Pass 2 Sep 2022 120,849 miles

Brake pedal wearing smooth (1.1.2 (c))

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

general corrosion on chassis and suspension

Fail 5 Aug 2022 120,849 miles

Front Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements (0.1 (d))

Nearside Front Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect kick up wrong way (4.1.2 (c))

Nearside Front Steering locking device missing (2.1.3 (d))

Nearside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

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

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low and too far to the left. (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Seat belt buckle not functioning as intended (7.1.2 (d))

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

Offside Front Steering locking device missing split pins missing (2.1.3 (d))

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

Offside Rear Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Bonnet seriously at risk of opening inadvertently (3.1 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

brake pedal rubber worn

corrosion in chassis and suspension generally

Fail 19 Apr 2022 120,820 miles

Front Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements (0.1 (d))

Front Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

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

Nearside Front Steering locking device missing (2.1.3 (d))

Offside Front Steering locking device missing (2.1.3 (d))

Bonnet seriously at risk of opening inadvertently (3.1 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

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

Pass 27 Nov 2020 120,526 miles

Nearside Front Axle swivel pins and bushes swivel pin and/or bush slightly worn (5.1.2 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Front Steering linkage ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

Fail 27 Nov 2020 120,526 miles

Nearside Front Axle swivel pins and bushes swivel pin and/or bush slightly worn (5.1.2 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Front Steering linkage ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

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

Pass 10 Sep 2019 112,023 miles

slight dampness both rear half shaft seals poor condition

slight rust n/s/front floor poor condition

Pass 8 Dec 2017 104,431 miles
Pass 8 Nov 2016 103,843 miles

Front Oil leak ()

Nearside Front Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Front Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Slight corrosion to chassis

Pass 2 May 2015 103,072 miles

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

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

Pass 23 Apr 2014 101,433 miles
Pass 2 Jan 2013 99,574 miles
Pass 3 Jan 2012 95,071 miles
Pass 21 Oct 2011 94,245 miles
Fail 7 Oct 2011 94,245 miles

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

Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

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

Offside Front Axle swivel joint has excessive play in a ball joint (2.5.A.3b)

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

Offside Front wheel bearing has excessive play (2.5.A.3c)

Offside Obligatory mirror seriously damaged, affecting the rear view (8.1.2a)

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Shock absorber has negligible damping effect (2.7.5)

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

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

Propshaft component defective

Pass 14 Sep 2010 83,166 miles
Fail 13 Sep 2010 83,166 miles

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

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

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

Pass 18 Sep 2009 71,823 miles
Fail 17 Sep 2009 71,823 miles

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

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

Offside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 8 Sep 2008 57,616 miles
Pass 3 Sep 2007 44,587 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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YB53 EKT is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.9%.

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 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 YB53 EKT, 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 YB53 EKT?

You can check the full history of YB53 EKT by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was YB53 EKT registered?

YB53 EKT is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 21 November 2003.

Is YB53 EKT safe to buy?

The MOT history for YB53 EKT shows 23 tests with a 73.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does YB53 EKT 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 YB53 EKT. 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.