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YR53 ULE

2003 Land Rover Defender

Black Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires11 Jan 2027
Tests25 (21 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate84%

Mileage

164,674 mi
Last recorded164,674 miles
Recorded on8 Jan 2026
Typical for 2003 Land Rover Defender86,068 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
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Finance
Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationYR53 ULE
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

21 pass 4 fail
Pass 8 Jan 2026 164,674 miles
Pass 9 Jan 2025 162,604 miles
Fail 8 Jan 2025 162,601 miles

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

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

Pass 15 Dec 2023 160,149 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing perished (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Fail 13 Dec 2023 160,143 miles

Central Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Headlamp insecure (4.1.1 (c))

Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Headlamp insecure (4.1.1 (c))

Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Nearside Rear Upper Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing perished (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 12 Jan 2023 157,740 miles

Nearside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Fail 5 Jan 2023 157,620 miles

Horn not working (7.7 (a))

Nearside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 17 Dec 2021 152,883 miles

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 15 Dec 2020 150,067 miles

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 17 Dec 2019 147,465 miles

Central Stop lamp(s) insecure (4.3.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Pass 19 Dec 2018 144,671 miles

both rear suspension bump stops missing

Pass 20 Dec 2017 130,067 miles

Front Headlamp Bezels Corroded

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

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

Offside Front Ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt Drop Arm Ball Joint (2.2.C.1c)

Oil leak Front Differential Leaking From Flange Transfer Box Leaking Gearbox Leaking General Engine Oil Leaks ()

Fail 20 Dec 2017 130,067 miles

Brake pedal anti-slip provision incomplete (3.3.A.1b)

Front Headlamp Bezels Corroded

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

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

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside Front Ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt Drop Arm Ball Joint (2.2.C.1c)

Oil leak Front Differential Leaking From Flange Transfer Box Leaking Gearbox Leaking General Engine Oil Leaks ()

Pass 12 Dec 2016 111,923 miles

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

Pass 14 Dec 2015 96,496 miles

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

Offside Front hub oil seal leaking

Rear diff pinion oil seal leaking

transfer box oil leak

Pass 23 Dec 2014 83,787 miles

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

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

Pass 20 Dec 2013 75,321 miles

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

Pass 18 Dec 2012 68,337 miles

Nearside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

advise n/s step corroded

Pass 12 Jan 2012 55,617 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)

Pass 4 Jan 2011 49,071 miles

all 4 tyre walls cracking

slight oil leak on front hubs

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

Pass 22 Dec 2009 38,209 miles

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

Pass 2 Feb 2009 35,939 miles

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

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

Pass 31 Jan 2008 32,522 miles
Pass 1 Feb 2007 27,698 miles
Pass 21 Sep 2006 26,271 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

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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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YR53 ULE is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Black with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 84%.

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 YR53 ULE, 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 YR53 ULE?

You can check the full history of YR53 ULE by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was YR53 ULE registered?

YR53 ULE is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 26 September 2003.

Is YR53 ULE safe to buy?

The MOT history for YR53 ULE shows 25 tests with a 84% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does YR53 ULE 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 YR53 ULE. 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.