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YJ03 CSD

2003 Land Rover Defender

Black Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires21 Aug 2026
Tests31 (20 pass, 11 fail)
Pass rate64.5%

Mileage

239,183 mi
Last recorded239,183 miles
Recorded on20 Aug 2025
Typical for 2003 Land Rover Defender86,068 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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Vehicle Details

RegistrationYJ03 CSD
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

20 pass 11 fail
Pass 20 Aug 2025 239,183 miles
Pass 22 Aug 2024 238,464 miles
Fail 20 Aug 2024 238,464 miles

Central Rear Suspension component ball joint excessively worn rear diff (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Emissions unable to be completed (8.2.2.2 (e))

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 2 Aug 2023 236,840 miles

Steering linkage ball joint ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt drop link (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Steering linkage ball joint has slight play Drop link (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 2 Aug 2022 233,598 miles
Pass 4 Aug 2021 226,318 miles
Pass 6 Aug 2020 217,864 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Pass 8 Aug 2019 207,575 miles

Front Lower Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush both sides (5.3.2 (c))

Pass 8 Aug 2018 197,348 miles

Fuel tank area damp. May have slight leak.

Fail 6 Aug 2018 197,348 miles

Nearside Front Wheel bearing rough when rotated (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Fuel tank area damp. May have slight leak.

Offside Rear Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Pass 3 Aug 2017 186,150 miles

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

Offside Front Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

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

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

front propshaft joint worn

Fail 2 Aug 2017 186,150 miles

Ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt steering box drop arm (2.2.C.1c)

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

Offside Front Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

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

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

front propshaft joint worn

Pass 13 Jul 2016 173,197 miles
Fail 14 Jun 2016 173,189 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

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

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

Pass 27 May 2015 161,283 miles
Fail 26 May 2015 161,283 miles

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

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

Pass 27 May 2014 150,094 miles
Fail 26 May 2014 150,094 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

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

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

Pass 29 May 2013 135,951 miles
Fail 28 May 2013 135,951 miles

Brake performance not tested (3.7.A.1)

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

Nearside Lower Steering pivot point has excessive play (2.2.B.1g)

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

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

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

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside Front Brake pipe leaking (3.6.A.1) DANGEROUS

Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b) DANGEROUS

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

nearside tracta oil seal leaking oil

steering damper bush worn

Pass 30 May 2012 120,279 miles
Fail 29 May 2012 120,277 miles

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

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

Pass 31 May 2011 104,975 miles
Pass 3 Jun 2010 89,298 miles
Fail 1 Jun 2010 89,290 miles

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

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

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

Front Windscreen wiper not operating automatically when switched on (8.2.1b)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Axle swivel joint has slight play (2.5.A.3b)

Pass 3 Jun 2009 73,214 miles
Fail 2 Jun 2009 73,214 miles

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

Offside Front Axle swivel joint has excessive play (2.5.A.3b)

Pass 4 Jun 2008 58,018 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Steering damper has slight wear on offside bush.

Pass 9 May 2007 41,202 miles
Pass 9 May 2006 34,029 miles
Fail 3 May 2006 34,029 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

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

Nearside Rear Lower Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Nearside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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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YJ03 CSD is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Black with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 31 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 64.5%.

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 YJ03 CSD, 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 YJ03 CSD?

You can check the full history of YJ03 CSD by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was YJ03 CSD registered?

YJ03 CSD is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 25 July 2003.

Is YJ03 CSD safe to buy?

The MOT history for YJ03 CSD shows 31 tests with a 64.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does YJ03 CSD 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 YJ03 CSD. 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.