CarVerify

Free Car Check

YL53 CWO

2003 Land Rover Defender

Silver Diesel 2500cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires28 Nov 2026
Tests25 (18 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate72%

Mileage

125,642 mi
Last recorded125,642 miles
Recorded on27 Nov 2025
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
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

RegistrationYL53 CWO
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year2003
ColourSilver
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,500cc

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

18 pass 7 fail
Pass 27 Nov 2025 125,642 miles

Nearside Front Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt ()

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

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Offside Rear Halfshaft seal wearing oil

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

Fail 27 Nov 2025 125,642 miles

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Position lamp with a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt ()

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

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Offside Rear Halfshaft seal wearing oil

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

Pass 29 Nov 2024 123,904 miles

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

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

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

Fail 27 Nov 2024 123,889 miles

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

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

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

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

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

Pass 23 Nov 2023 123,069 miles
Pass 29 Nov 2022 120,444 miles

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

Nearside Front Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced Inner wheel arch (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Offside 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 To rear (1.1.11 (c))

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

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

Pass 29 Nov 2021 118,680 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))

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

Pass 20 Oct 2020 115,486 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material Both fronts to flexi greased (1.1.11 (c))

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

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

Pass 18 Apr 2019 108,572 miles

Fluid leak, but not excessive Both diffs (8.4.1 (a) (i))

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

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

Pass 11 Apr 2018 107,173 miles

Oil leak Front diff ()

Oil leak On engine and gearbox ()

Pass 18 Feb 2017 104,794 miles
Pass 19 Dec 2015 100,692 miles
Fail 19 Dec 2015 100,692 miles

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 10 Dec 2014 98,299 miles
Pass 17 Dec 2013 95,256 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 20 Dec 2012 85,186 miles
Fail 20 Dec 2012 85,186 miles

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

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Pass 14 Dec 2011 79,059 miles

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 13 Oct 2010 73,450 miles
Fail 12 Oct 2010 73,450 miles

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

Nearside Front front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Offside Front front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Pass 28 Feb 2009 70,273 miles
Pass 22 Oct 2007 62,900 miles
Fail 3 Nov 2006 48,160 miles

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

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 3 Nov 2006 48,160 miles
Fail 9 May 2006 42,995 miles

Offside Rear brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

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

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

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

YL53 CWO is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Silver with a 2,500cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 72%.

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 YL53 CWO, 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 YL53 CWO?

You can check the full history of YL53 CWO by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was YL53 CWO registered?

YL53 CWO is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 31 December 2003.

Is YL53 CWO safe to buy?

The MOT history for YL53 CWO shows 25 tests with a 72% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does YL53 CWO 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 YL53 CWO. 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.