CarVerify

Free Car Check

YH53 TVK

2003 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires8 Apr 2026
Tests26 (20 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate76.9%

Mileage

33,152 mi
Last recorded33,152 miles
Recorded on29 Jul 2026
Typical for 2003 Land Rover Defender86,068 mi

Below or 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

RegistrationYH53 TVK
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

20 pass 6 fail
Fail 29 Jul 2026 33,152 miles

Front Service brake is causing the steering wheel to severely pull one way (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Central Exhaust silencer likely to become detached (8.1.1 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Central Rear Vehicle structure or chassis has excessive corrosion to the extent that overall security or stability of the body is impaired (6.2.2 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Front Brake servo inoperative (1.1.10 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Vehicle structure or chassis has excessive corrosion to the extent that overall security or stability of the body is impaired (6.2.2 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Rear Exhaust silencer likely to become detached (8.1.1 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 9 Apr 2025 32,241 miles
Fail 9 Apr 2025 32,241 miles

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

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

Pass 3 Apr 2024 29,861 miles
Pass 27 Mar 2023 26,643 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Offside Front Tyre has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

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

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

Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced crossmember at rear step (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Rear Vehicle structure slightly corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting crossmember (6.1.6 (i) (i))

Pass 25 Jul 2022 26,362 miles

Nearside Front swivel housing corroded and slight oil leak.

Offside Front swivel housing corroded and slight oil leak.

Pass 12 Aug 2021 25,862 miles
Pass 17 Aug 2020 25,254 miles
Pass 7 Aug 2019 24,299 miles

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

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

Fail 5 Aug 2019 24,299 miles

Offside Rear Service brake grabbing severely (1.2.1 (c))

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

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

Pass 1 Aug 2018 23,688 miles
Pass 4 Aug 2017 22,942 miles

Both front swivel joints leaking grease slightly

Nearside Front Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush in front of axle (2.4.G.2)

Oil leak Rear Diff

Pass 3 Aug 2016 22,412 miles

All coil springs corroded

Pass 21 Sep 2015 21,963 miles

Both front swivel joints leaking grease

Offside Front brake sticky

Pass 18 Sep 2014 20,962 miles

Both front hubs have a slight leak of grease

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

Pass 7 Oct 2013 20,349 miles

Both front swivel hubs leaking.

Fail 23 Sep 2013 20,348 miles

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

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

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

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

Both front swivel hubs leaking.

Pass 25 Sep 2012 19,710 miles
Pass 14 Sep 2011 18,505 miles

Front swivel hubs pitted and slight leakage.

Slight play rear axle 'A' frame ball joint.

Pass 23 Sep 2010 15,842 miles
Fail 16 Sep 2010 15,842 miles

Fuel system component leaking (7.2.3)

Nearside Steering system has a tyre fouling a part of the vehicle (2.2.D.2a)

Pass 22 Sep 2009 14,376 miles

O/S/F swivel hub pitted.

Fail 17 Sep 2009 14,376 miles

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

Nearside Outer Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Fuel filter housing corroded.

O/S/F swivel hub pitted.

Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Pass 9 Sep 2008 12,330 miles

brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Pass 19 Sep 2007 11,077 miles
Pass 18 Sep 2006 9,278 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

YH53 TVK is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.9%.

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 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 TVK, 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 TVK?

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

What year was YH53 TVK registered?

YH53 TVK is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 29 September 2003.

Is YH53 TVK safe to buy?

The MOT history for YH53 TVK shows 26 tests with a 76.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does YH53 TVK 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 TVK. 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.