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YP03 LWJ

2003 Land Rover Defender

Red Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires24 Jan 2027
Tests23 (19 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate82.6%

Mileage

147,198 mi
Last recorded147,198 miles
Recorded on13 Jan 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

RegistrationYP03 LWJ
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

19 pass 4 fail
Pass 13 Jan 2026 147,198 miles

Both rear bump stops missing at time of test

Central Rear Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated A frame (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Coolant leak ()

Drag link end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt Steering arm off steering box (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

Nearside Front Swivel joint leaking

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

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

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

Offside Front Swivel joint leaking

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

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

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

Pass 15 Jan 2025 139,409 miles

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

Nearside Front Cab or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security Bulk head (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Nearside Front Swivel joint seal slight leak

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

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

Offside Front Swivel joint seal slight leak

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

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

Pass 23 Jan 2024 130,237 miles

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

Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed both front (7.1.2 (b) (ii))

Pass 25 Jan 2023 121,223 miles

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

Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed both front (7.1.2 (b) (ii))

Pass 24 Jan 2022 114,603 miles

Nearside Rear 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))

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

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

Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed both front (7.1.2 (b) (ii))

Pass 16 Jan 2021 106,857 miles
Pass 23 Jan 2020 98,861 miles
Pass 25 Oct 2018 89,697 miles
Fail 23 Oct 2018 86,619 miles

Headlamp not working on main beam both (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 3 Aug 2017 76,861 miles
Pass 27 May 2016 71,680 miles
Pass 31 Jul 2014 138,555 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 20 Aug 2012 138,176 miles

Oil leak

Fail 16 Aug 2012 138,130 miles

Nearside Front Radius arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Radius arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Oil leak

Pass 30 Aug 2011 128,863 miles

Nearside Rear Trailing arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Trailing arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Fail 30 Aug 2011 128,863 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Rear Trailing arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Rear Trailing arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Pass 25 Aug 2010 112,258 miles

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

Pass 21 Aug 2009 94,755 miles
Fail 14 Aug 2009 94,506 miles

Exhaust emits an excessive level of metered smoke for a turbo charged engine (7.4.B.3b)

Offside Front Seat belt damaged sufficient to obstruct correct operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

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

Offside Rear Radius arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Service brake is causing the vehicle to swerve to the nearside (3.7.C.2)

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Offside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Pass 23 Jul 2008 72,786 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 27 Mar 2008 64,771 miles

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

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)

Pass 21 Aug 2007 58,220 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 22 Mar 2006 49,205 miles

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

Offside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

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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YP03 LWJ is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Red with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 82.6%.

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 YP03 LWJ, 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 YP03 LWJ?

You can check the full history of YP03 LWJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was YP03 LWJ registered?

YP03 LWJ is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 4 April 2003.

Is YP03 LWJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for YP03 LWJ shows 23 tests with a 82.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does YP03 LWJ 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 YP03 LWJ. 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.