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YG53 WZL

2003 Land Rover Defender

Red Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires12 Feb 2027
Tests25 (19 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate76%

Mileage

199,084 mi
Last recorded199,084 miles
Recorded on13 Feb 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

RegistrationYG53 WZL
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year2003
ColourRed
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 6 fail
Pass 13 Feb 2026 199,084 miles

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

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

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

Fail 12 Feb 2026 199,025 miles

Exhaust emissions exceed level of metered smoke for a turbo charged engine (8.2.2.2 (b))

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

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

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

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

Pass 24 Oct 2024 198,594 miles

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

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security (6.2.2 (d) (i))

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

Offside Rear Vehicle structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Pass 25 Apr 2023 189,663 miles
Pass 21 Apr 2022 188,726 miles
Pass 7 Apr 2021 187,449 miles
Fail 1 Mar 2021 187,431 miles

Nearside Front Tyre fouling a part of the vehicle on full lock (5.2.3 (f))

Nearside Vehicle structure excessively corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.1.6 (i) (i))

Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength behind out rigger (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Vehicle structure excessively corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.1.6 (i) (i))

Pass 8 Jan 2020 180,691 miles
Pass 10 Jan 2019 170,122 miles
Pass 18 Dec 2017 159,602 miles
Pass 23 Nov 2016 147,573 miles

Brake pipe slightly corroded front to rear at front by clip (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play ON LIMIT (2.2.B.1f)

nearside front wiper deteriorating

Pass 20 Nov 2015 136,975 miles

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

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

coolant level low

damage to nearside door mirror glass

Fail 18 Nov 2015 136,936 miles

Fuel system component leaking block unit at rear of engine on offside (7.2.3)

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

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

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

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

coolant level low

damage to nearside door mirror glass

Pass 7 Nov 2014 123,060 miles

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

Pass 12 Nov 2013 109,468 miles
Pass 7 Nov 2012 91,555 miles
Pass 28 Oct 2011 80,423 miles
Fail 28 Oct 2011 80,423 miles

Brake pedal anti-slip provision missing (3.3.A.1b)

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

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

Pass 28 Oct 2010 70,853 miles
Fail 27 Oct 2010 70,853 miles

Offside Front Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (4.1.D.1b)

Pass 26 Oct 2009 60,390 miles
Pass 29 Oct 2008 50,476 miles
Pass 14 Nov 2007 40,843 miles

Nail in nearside front tyre

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

Pass 20 Nov 2006 29,971 miles
Fail 20 Nov 2006 29,971 miles

Nearside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

Registration plate lamp shows direct white light to the rear (1.1.C.1f)

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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YG53 WZL is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Red with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76%.

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 YG53 WZL, 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 YG53 WZL?

You can check the full history of YG53 WZL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was YG53 WZL registered?

YG53 WZL is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 30 September 2003.

Is YG53 WZL safe to buy?

The MOT history for YG53 WZL shows 25 tests with a 76% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does YG53 WZL 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 YG53 WZL. 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.