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YY53 LOJ

2003 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires26 Mar 2027
Tests27 (19 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate70.4%

Mileage

242,208 mi
Last recorded242,208 miles
Recorded on24 Mar 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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Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationYY53 LOJ
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year2003
ColourBlue
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 8 fail
Pass 24 Mar 2026 242,208 miles

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

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

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

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

Pass 27 Mar 2025 216,794 miles

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

Pass 17 Nov 2023 186,189 miles

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

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

Pass 18 Nov 2022 161,946 miles

Vehicle structure slightly corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.1.6 (i) (i))

Fail 14 Nov 2022 161,943 miles

Nearside Rear Brake disc contaminated (1.1.14 (b))

Vehicle structure slightly corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.1.6 (i) (i))

Pass 25 Nov 2021 141,164 miles

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

Play in nearside front axle joint

Pass 16 Nov 2020 122,743 miles
Pass 12 Jun 2019 87,227 miles
Pass 5 Jun 2018 71,623 miles
Fail 5 Jun 2018 71,623 miles

Offside Rear Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

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

Pass 8 Jun 2017 67,136 miles

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

Offside Rear tyre perished

Fail 31 May 2017 67,132 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover insecure so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Nearside Rear brake caliper leaking (3.6.A.1)

Nearside Rear brake disc contaminated by brake fluid (3.5.1h)

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

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

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

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

Offside Rear tyre perished

Pass 24 May 2016 60,829 miles
Fail 24 May 2016 60,828 miles

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Pass 28 May 2015 57,176 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

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

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

seat belt cover missing off centre

under side of vehicle covered in light corrosion

Fail 27 May 2015 57,176 miles

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

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

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

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

seat belt cover missing off centre

Pass 13 Feb 2014 56,429 miles

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

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

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

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

Fail 13 Feb 2014 56,429 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Offside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Windscreen has a sticker or other obstruction encroaching into the swept area by more than 40mm outside zone 'A' (8.3.1e)

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

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

Pass 15 Feb 2013 52,872 miles

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

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

Fail 8 Feb 2013 52,837 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 3 Feb 2012 50,478 miles

Nail in offside front tyre

Nearside Seat belt flexible stalk damaged but not likely to lead to failure under load (5.2.4a)

Service brake: service brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Pass 7 Jan 2011 45,758 miles

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

Fail 20 Oct 2009 41,642 miles

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

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

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

Pass 20 Oct 2009 41,642 miles

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

Pass 21 Oct 2008 34,694 miles

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

Pass 20 Oct 2007 27,630 miles
Pass 20 Oct 2006 20,674 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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YY53 LOJ is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70.4%.

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 YY53 LOJ, 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 YY53 LOJ?

You can check the full history of YY53 LOJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was YY53 LOJ registered?

YY53 LOJ is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 21 October 2003.

Is YY53 LOJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for YY53 LOJ shows 27 tests with a 70.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does YY53 LOJ 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 YY53 LOJ. 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.