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YF53 JCX

2003 Land Rover Defender

Black Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires10 Sep 2026
Tests22 (16 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate72.7%

Mileage

187,766 mi
Last recorded187,766 miles
Recorded on11 Sep 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
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationYF53 JCX
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year2003
ColourBlack
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

16 pass 6 fail
Pass 11 Sep 2025 187,766 miles
Pass 11 Sep 2024 184,840 miles
Pass 7 Sep 2023 175,886 miles
Pass 18 Aug 2022 173,138 miles

Axle swivel joints leaking oil/ grease

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

Fail 18 Aug 2022 173,138 miles

Axle swivel joints leaking oil/ grease

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

Steering linkage ball joint ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Pass 18 Aug 2021 165,361 miles

oil leak

Pass 18 Aug 2020 159,531 miles
Pass 1 Jul 2019 152,013 miles
Fail 1 Jul 2019 152,013 miles

Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Pass 3 Jul 2018 145,553 miles

centre exhaust bracket and rear exhaust joint in poor condition

Pass 29 Jun 2017 138,682 miles
Pass 29 Jun 2016 132,247 miles

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

Nearside Front Trailing arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

window tint fitted to front side windows

Fail 27 Jun 2016 132,247 miles

Offside Rear Lower Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

Nearside Front Trailing arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

window tint fitted to front side windows

Pass 26 Jun 2015 125,765 miles

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Oil leak

Pass 30 Jun 2014 120,106 miles

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

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

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

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

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

both front hub seals slight leak

nearside rear tyre cracking

oil leak

Fail 11 Mar 2014 120,104 miles

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

Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.C.1a)

Brake performance not tested (3.7.A.1) DANGEROUS

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

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

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

Nearside Rear Brake pipe leaking (3.6.A.1) DANGEROUS

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

Offside Front Seat belt has a cut which has significantly weakened the webbing (5.2.2a) DANGEROUS

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

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

Rear Braking system leaking (3.6.A.1) DANGEROUS

Rear Fuel system component leaking (7.2.3) DANGEROUS

Brake hydraulic reservoir fluid close to minimum level (3.6.G.1b)

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

Nail in offside front tyre

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

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

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

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

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

Oil leak

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

corosoin on exhaust system

deteriation on both front tyres,ofside front hub oil seal slight leak

nearside rear tyre cracking,deteriation,brake pedal rubber deteriation

Fail 4 Oct 2013 120,103 miles

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

Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.C.1a)

Brake performance not tested (3.7.A.1) DANGEROUS

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

Fuel system component leaking (7.2.3) DANGEROUS

Nearside Rear Brake pipe leaking (3.6.A.1) DANGEROUS

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

Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

both front hub seals slightly damp

both fronts and nearside rear tyre cracking

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

Pass 9 Nov 2011 103,439 miles

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

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

brake pedal rubber deteriation

Pass 29 Oct 2010 92,778 miles

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

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

Fail 20 Nov 2008 71,823 miles

Nail in nearside rear tyre

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

Nearside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

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

deteriation on brake pedal rubber,nearside front hub oil seal leaking oil

Pass 20 Nov 2008 71,823 miles

Nail in nearside rear tyre

Nearside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

deteriation on brake pedal rubber,nearside front hub oil seal leaking oil

Pass 3 Nov 2006 46,732 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 JCX is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Black with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 72.7%.

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 JCX, 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 JCX?

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

What year was YF53 JCX registered?

YF53 JCX is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 19 November 2003.

Is YF53 JCX safe to buy?

The MOT history for YF53 JCX shows 22 tests with a 72.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does YF53 JCX 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 JCX. 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.