CarVerify

Free Car Check

YH03 YRD

2003 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2495cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires8 Jun 2026
Tests28 (19 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate67.9%

Mileage

98,593 mi
Last recorded98,593 miles
Recorded on9 Jun 2025
Typical for 2003 Land Rover Defender86,068 mi

Above average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationYH03 YRD
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

19 pass 9 fail
Pass 9 Jun 2025 98,593 miles

Rear Service brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (1.2.2 (a) (i))

Pass 18 Apr 2024 98,586 miles

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

Pass 30 Mar 2023 98,002 miles

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

Pass 7 Jan 2022 96,532 miles

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

Fail 6 Jan 2022 96,516 miles

Exhaust emissions exceed manufacturer's specified limit (8.2.2.2 (a))

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

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

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

Pass 6 Jan 2021 94,681 miles

Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

manufactures under trays and engine covers on vehicle

Fail 23 Dec 2020 94,681 miles

Offside Front Windscreen wiper not working (3.4 (a))

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

Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

manufactures under trays and engine covers on vehicle

Pass 8 May 2019 93,328 miles
Fail 7 May 2019 93,301 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded axel (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn tie bar (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 8 May 2018 87,751 miles

Brake pipe slightly corroded Front to rear brake pipe, on top of chassis. (3.6.B.2c)

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

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

Fail 8 May 2018 87,736 miles

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

Brake pipe slightly corroded Front to rear brake pipe, on top of chassis. (3.6.B.2c)

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

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

Offside Front Wiper blade torn but still clearing screen.

Pass 15 May 2017 83,420 miles
Pass 17 May 2016 79,142 miles

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

Fail 16 May 2016 79,127 miles

Front Ball joint has excessive play steering box front (2.2.B.1f)

Nearside Rear Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Steering system has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel (steering box fitted) bottom universal joint (2.2.A.1a)

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

Pass 7 May 2015 77,647 miles
Fail 7 May 2015 77,632 miles

Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

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

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

Offside Drag link end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Pass 16 May 2014 72,957 miles

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

Nearside Front Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

n/s rear tyre worn

steering damper bush-slight play

Fail 7 May 2014 72,957 miles

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

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

Nearside Front Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

n/s rear tyre worn

steering damper bush-slight play

Pass 11 Apr 2013 68,390 miles

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

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

steeing damper bush-slight play

Pass 17 Apr 2012 61,746 miles

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

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

Fail 17 Apr 2012 61,741 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 25 Mar 2011 52,950 miles

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

Pass 31 Mar 2010 47,362 miles
Fail 31 Mar 2010 47,357 miles

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

Offside Rear Brake pipe kinked (3.6.B.2b)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Pass 11 Mar 2009 39,365 miles
Pass 19 Mar 2008 26,665 miles

slight lump in nsr tyre

Pass 31 Mar 2007 14,798 miles

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

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

Pass 17 Mar 2006 4,654 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

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

YH03 YRD is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Blue 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 YH03 YRD, 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 YH03 YRD?

You can check the full history of YH03 YRD by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was YH03 YRD registered?

YH03 YRD is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 28 March 2003.

Is YH03 YRD safe to buy?

The MOT history for YH03 YRD 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 YH03 YRD 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 YH03 YRD. 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.