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YJ53 LHG

2003 Land Rover Defender

Red Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires31 Jan 2027
Tests25 (20 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate80%

Mileage

167,633 mi
Last recorded167,633 miles
Recorded on17 Jan 2026
Typical for 2003 Land Rover Defender86,068 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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Vehicle Details

RegistrationYJ53 LHG
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

20 pass 5 fail
Pass 17 Jan 2026 167,633 miles
Pass 18 Jan 2025 165,244 miles
Pass 6 Jan 2024 162,313 miles
Pass 21 Jan 2023 158,400 miles
Pass 28 Jan 2022 156,927 miles
Pass 21 Jan 2021 153,297 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Offside Front Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Offside headlamp dim

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

Pass 20 Jan 2020 150,550 miles

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 1 Feb 2019 147,594 miles
Pass 16 Dec 2017 144,041 miles
Pass 29 Sep 2016 140,786 miles
Fail 22 Sep 2016 140,710 miles

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

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

Braking system leaking on pipe onto a.b.s. unit (3.6.A.1)

Nearside Passenger's seat cannot be secured in the upright position. (6.2.A.2)

Nearside Trailer electrical socket damaged so that lead cannot be securely connected (1.9.3b)

Offside Passenger's seat cannot be secured in the upright position. (6.2.A.2)

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

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 2 Sep 2015 133,204 miles

Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Nearside Rear Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

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

Offside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage from a joint (2.3.3b)

Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

engine cover and under trays fitted

oil leak

Fail 1 Sep 2015 133,204 miles

Ball joint dust cover insecure so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Nearside Rear Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

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

Offside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage from a joint (2.3.3b)

Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

engine cover and under trays fitted

oil leak

Pass 22 Sep 2014 124,167 miles

Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Fail 15 Sep 2014 124,167 miles

Nearside Rear Lower Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

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

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

Offside Rear Lower Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

Offside Rear Lower Seat belt insecurely fixed to the vehicles structure (5.2.1a)

Rear Lower Seat belt insecurely fixed to the vehicles structure (5.2.1a)

Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Pass 6 Sep 2013 115,782 miles
Pass 11 Sep 2012 108,142 miles

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

Pass 27 Sep 2011 99,046 miles

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

Fail 27 Sep 2011 99,046 miles

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

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

Pass 23 Sep 2010 88,815 miles
Pass 23 Sep 2009 78,099 miles

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

Pass 25 Sep 2008 65,781 miles

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

air box pipe off

boot not secured on drop arm ball joint

clutch pedal rubber worn

fuel cap wont lock

Pass 26 Sep 2007 57,262 miles
Fail 25 Sep 2007 57,256 miles

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

Pass 25 Sep 2006 45,423 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)

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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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.

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YJ53 LHG 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 80%.

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 YJ53 LHG, 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 YJ53 LHG?

You can check the full history of YJ53 LHG by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was YJ53 LHG registered?

YJ53 LHG is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 24 September 2003.

Is YJ53 LHG safe to buy?

The MOT history for YJ53 LHG shows 25 tests with a 80% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does YJ53 LHG 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 YJ53 LHG. 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.