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YF53 EUL

2003 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires29 Jul 2027
Tests28 (19 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate67.9%

Mileage

134,527 mi
Last recorded134,527 miles
Recorded on30 Jul 2026
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

RegistrationYF53 EUL
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year2003
ColourGreen
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 9 fail
Pass 30 Jul 2026 134,527 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 11 Mar 2025 131,449 miles
Fail 6 Mar 2025 131,439 miles

Front Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

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

Nearside Front Suspension component ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Suspension component ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Rear Brake disc significantly and obviously worn (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Pass 12 Feb 2024 127,588 miles
Fail 10 Feb 2024 127,588 miles

Offside Front Drag link end ball joint dust cover insecure so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Pass 23 Mar 2022 120,826 miles

Nearside Rear Obligatory mirror slightly damaged (3.3 (b) (i))

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

Fail 16 Mar 2022 120,771 miles

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

Nearside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Rear Prop shaft joint excessively worn (6.1.7 (c) (i))

Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Front Prop shaft joint so worn it is likely to fail (6.1.7 (c) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Nearside Rear Obligatory mirror slightly damaged (3.3 (b) (i))

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

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

Pass 12 Mar 2021 117,530 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Pass 17 Mar 2020 114,213 miles

Brake pedal rubber wearing smooth

Fail 27 Feb 2020 114,117 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has an excessively worn bush lower bush (5.3.2 (c))

Offside Rear Shock absorbers insecurely attached snapped (5.3.2 (a) (i))

Drag link end ball joint worn to the extent there is a serious risk of detachment steering box drop arm (2.1.3 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Steering box has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel to the extent that safe steering is affected (steering box fitted) (2.3 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Brake pedal wearing smooth (1.1.2 (c))

Pass 26 Feb 2019 111,274 miles
Fail 26 Feb 2019 111,274 miles

Drag link end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Front Brake pipe excessively corroded To rear (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded On brake caliper (1.1.11 (c))

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

Pass 15 Mar 2018 108,498 miles
Fail 14 Mar 2018 108,490 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid Both washers (8.2.3)

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

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

Nearside Front brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i) DANGEROUS

Nearside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f) DANGEROUS

Offside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f) DANGEROUS

Pass 23 Feb 2017 105,555 miles
Pass 2 Mar 2016 102,168 miles
Pass 23 Feb 2015 98,672 miles

Centre Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

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

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

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

Pass 25 Feb 2014 94,149 miles

Centre Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

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

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

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

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

Pass 22 Feb 2013 90,526 miles
Fail 22 Feb 2013 90,526 miles

Nearside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 27 Feb 2012 86,800 miles
Fail 23 Feb 2012 86,733 miles

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

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

Offside Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

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

Pass 28 Feb 2011 82,062 miles
Fail 28 Feb 2011 82,062 miles

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Pass 19 Nov 2009 71,376 miles
Pass 26 Nov 2008 60,083 miles
Pass 30 Nov 2007 48,682 miles
Pass 28 Nov 2006 35,054 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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YF53 EUL is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 28 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 67.9%.

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 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 YF53 EUL, 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 YF53 EUL?

You can check the full history of YF53 EUL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was YF53 EUL registered?

YF53 EUL is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 2 December 2003.

Is YF53 EUL safe to buy?

The MOT history for YF53 EUL shows 28 tests with a 67.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does YF53 EUL 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 YF53 EUL. 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.