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YH53 TUU

2003 Land Rover Defender

Multi-colour Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires29 Apr 2027
Tests22 (19 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate86.4%

Mileage

172,032 mi
Last recorded172,032 miles
Recorded on8 Apr 2026
Typical for 2003 Land Rover Defender86,068 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationYH53 TUU
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year2003
ColourMulti-colour
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 3 fail
Pass 8 Apr 2026 172,032 miles

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

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

Pass 30 Apr 2025 170,067 miles

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

Rear Prop shaft joint worn, but not excessively (6.1.7 (c) (i))

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

Fail 29 Apr 2025 170,064 miles

Brake performance unable to be tested (1.2.1 (g))

Nearside Front Brake pipe leaking on a hydraulic braking system (1.1.11 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

Rear Prop shaft joint worn, but not excessively (6.1.7 (c) (i))

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

Pass 24 Aug 2023 169,930 miles

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

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

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

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

Fail 13 Jul 2023 169,927 miles

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases at rear flange (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush excessively worn D bush (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced floor too bulkhead (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Steering linkage ball joint worn to the extent there is a serious risk of detachment idler/drop arm at steering box (2.1.3 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

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

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

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

Pass 16 Jun 2022 165,912 miles
Pass 21 Jun 2021 16,322 miles

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

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

Pass 20 May 2020 162,643 miles

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

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

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

Pass 14 Feb 2019 161,840 miles
Pass 24 Oct 2017 159,022 miles

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

Offside Front Seat belt stitching slightly frayed (5.2.2b)

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

Pass 9 Aug 2016 151,705 miles
Pass 6 Aug 2015 139,695 miles
Pass 6 Aug 2014 123,162 miles
Pass 28 Aug 2013 119,699 miles

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

Pass 23 Aug 2012 115,049 miles
Pass 27 Aug 2011 104,554 miles
Fail 26 Aug 2011 104,520 miles

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

Nearside Track rod end loose (2.2.B.1d)

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 20 Aug 2010 90,358 miles
Pass 21 Aug 2009 72,197 miles
Pass 22 Aug 2008 56,064 miles
Pass 22 Aug 2007 39,104 miles
Pass 22 Aug 2006 21,265 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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YH53 TUU is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Multi-colour with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 86.4%.

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 YH53 TUU, 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 YH53 TUU?

You can check the full history of YH53 TUU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was YH53 TUU registered?

YH53 TUU is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 26 September 2003.

Is YH53 TUU safe to buy?

The MOT history for YH53 TUU shows 22 tests with a 86.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does YH53 TUU 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 YH53 TUU. 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.