MOT data by first-use year
2004 Jeep Cherokee: MOT fail rate and common problems
DVSA MOT tests 2022–2025 · 2,518 MOT tests · Updated
44.6% of 2004 Jeep Cherokee cars failed their MOT at 18 years; measured against vehicles the same age and test year, about the same as the 2005 cars (1,384 MOT tests) [1].
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- +0.2 to −0.8 points: the gap to all class 4 vehicles the same age and test year, from 18 to 19 years, 2,518 MOT tests
- Handbrake too weak: fails 1.7–2.2× as often as all class 4 vehicles the same age at 18 years, 3,840 MOT tests of Jeep Cherokee cars first used 2004–2007
- At 19 years (tested 2023): 42.7% failed, against 43.5% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 19 years in 2023, 1,134 MOT tests
Engine, fuel and mileage decide where one vehicle sits within these figures. Check the reg first.
Figures are for 2004 Jeep Cherokee cars as a group, not for one car.
- Fail rate at 18 years (2022)
- 44.6%
- vs 44.4% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 18 years in 2022
- 1,384 MOT tests
- Gap to all class 4, same age and year
- −0.3 pts
- over ages 18–19: −0.8 to +0.2 pts
- 2,518 MOT tests
- Against the 2005 cars
- −1.0 pts
- 95% range −5.0 to +3.0 pts, same ages, each against its own test year
- 1,384 MOT tests
- MOT tests of 2004 cars
- 2,518
- tested 2022–2023, 2 ages with 1,000+ tests
- 2,518 MOT tests
About the same as the 2005 cars: −1.0 points at age 18, each year against all class 4 vehicles the same age tested in its own year; 95% range −5.0 to +3.0, from 1,384 MOT tests of 2004 cars and 1,068 of the 2005 cars. Not adjusted for mileage.
Every Jeep Cherokee year against all class 4 vehicles the same age
2004 Jeep Cherokee fail rate at each MOT
From 2022 to 2023, as these cars went from 18 to 19 years old, the fail rate went from 44.6% to 42.7%, and the gap to all class 4 vehicles the same age and test year from +0.2 to −0.8 points. The widest gap was at 18 years (+0.2 points, 1,384 MOT tests).
| Test year | Age | Fail rate | 95% range | MOT tests | All class 4, same age and year | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 18 years | 44.6% | 42.0%–47.2% | 1,384 | 44.4% | +0.2 pts |
| 2023 | 19 years* | 42.7% | 39.8%–45.6% | 1,134 | 43.5% | −0.8 pts |
* Above 18 years only survivors are still tested, so these rows say less about the vehicle when new and do not count towards the verdict.
All class 4: every class 4 vehicle (cars and light vans) tested at that age in the same test year.
2004 against the 2005 cars, age by age
| Age | 2004 | Years either side |
|---|---|---|
| 18 years | 44.6% 1,384 MOT tests, tested 2022 | 2005: 44.5% (1,068, tested 2023) |
Each year was tested in a different calendar year; the verdict compares each against all class 4 vehicles the same age tested in its own year.
What fails on a Jeep Cherokee at 18 years
All Jeep Cherokee MOTs at 18 years, cars first used 2004–2007 (3,840 MOT tests; DVSA item counts are not split by first-use year). The most common fail items: handbrake too weak (5.3 per 100 MOT tests), side/position light not working (5.2 per 100 MOT tests, a wear item) and component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength (4.7 per 100 MOT tests).
Handbrake too weak: fails 1.7–2.2× as often as all class 4 vehicles the same age, across at least 3 ages.
Car tax and ULEZ for a 2004 car
A car first registered in the UK in 2004 was issued a 53 (January–February), 04 (March–August) or 54 (September–December) plate, unless it was registered in Northern Ireland (no age identifier) or has since moved to a private plate. An imported one is plated when first registered here, so its plate can be newer than its first-use year. 04 plates
A 2004 car is taxed by its CO2 emissions band (A to M), shown on the V5C logbook. [2] Car tax calculator for a 2004 car
For the London ULEZ, a 2004 petrol may or may not meet Euro 4, and a 2004 diesel usually does not meet Euro 6. The Euro standard of the car decides, not the year alone. [3] ULEZ checker
Buying a Jeep Cherokee? Check that exact car before the viewing.
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- Model risks for this year and fuel
- What similar cars did at their next MOT
- Repairs ahead
- Viewing checklist
Questions people ask
What is the MOT fail rate of a 2004 Jeep Cherokee?
44.6% at 18 years (tested 2022), from 1,384 MOT tests, against 44.4% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 18 years in 2022.
Does the 2004 Jeep Cherokee fail more MOTs than the 2005?
1.0 percentage points apart at age 18, each against all class 4 vehicles the same age and test year, from 1,384 MOT tests (95% range −5.0 to +3.0), so about the same.
At what ages were 2004 Jeep Cherokee cars MOT tested in the data?
2 ages with at least 1,000 MOT tests: 18–19 years, tested 2022–2023, 2,518 MOT tests in all. Ages over 18 are shown but not used for the verdict.
What fails most on a Jeep Cherokee at 18 years?
5.3 in 100 MOT tests failed on handbrake too weak, the most common fail item. From 3,840 MOT tests of Jeep Cherokee cars first used 2004–2007, not only 2004.
Sources
- Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2022 to 2025. DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, 2,518 MOT tests. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
- GOV.UK, Vehicle tax rates. Rules, not drawn from the MOT data.
- Transport for London, Ultra Low Emission Zone. Rules, not drawn from the MOT data.
Cars tested at 18 years are compared with every class 4 vehicle tested at 18 years in the same test year. These rates are not adjusted for mileage. Breakdowns and non-MOT faults are not in this data. How we compare