Common problems
Jaguar XJ common problems
What MOT testers find on the Jaguar XJ: the parts that fail or get advisories most often at each age, against all cars of the same age. From 92,084 DVSA MOT tests taken 2022 to 2025.
MOT data updated
At 19 years, the most tested age
What stands out
- Steering fails show up on 5.1 of every 100 MOTs of a Jaguar XJ at 19 years old (n=6,518), against 4.1 for all cars of that age (n=2,479,858).
- Lights and electrics fails are less common: 9.2 per 100 MOTs against 21.5 for all cars at the same age.
- The fail item testers record most often at 19 years: malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction, on 3.5 per 100 MOTs (all cars 2.6).
- The most common advisory or minor defect: rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material, on 15.4 per 100 MOTs.
Problems by part at 19 years
How many of every 100 MOTs found a fail, or an advisory or minor defect, in each area. A test with faults in two areas counts in both.
| Area | Fails | All cars | Advisories | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 11.7 | 16.9 | 30.7 | 35.4 |
| Brakes | 9.2 | 13.3 | 28.5 | 33.3 |
| Lights and electrics | 9.2 | 21.5 | 9.2 | 17.9 |
| Steering | 5.1 | 4.1 | 6.4 | 6.0 |
| Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 4.8 | 7.5 | 4.3 | 6.3 |
| Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 4.5 | 7.0 | 11.2 | 14.7 |
| Tyres | 4.3 | 6.8 | 19.9 | 26.9 |
| Body and structure | 1.4 | 9.0 | 2.8 | 15.2 |
| Seat belts and airbags | 0.8 | 2.9 | 0.2 | 1.4 |
| Road wheels | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.2 |
| Number plates and VIN | 0.3 | 0.7 | 1.8 | 5.9 |
What testers fail most on the XJ at 19 years
| Item | Area | Per 100 MOTs | All cars | Typical repair (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction | Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 3.5 | 2.6 | diagnosis from £39 (rough guide) |
| Track rod end: ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt | Steering | 3.3 | 0.5 | £54 to £128 per side (rough guide) |
| Suspension arm ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt | Suspension | 3.0 | 1.1 | £75 to £237 per side (rough guide) |
| Suspension arm bush worn | Suspension | 2.6 | 2.2 | £92 to £237 per arm (rough guide) |
| Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded | Brakes | 2.2 | 2.5 | £137 to £392 per car (rough guide) |
| Linkage ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt | Suspension | 2.1 | 1.6 | £33 to £102 per link (rough guide) |
| Suspension rod ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt | Suspension | 2.0 | under 0.1 | |
| Wipers not clearing screen | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 1.9 | 3.3 | £15 to £30 per blade |
| Dipped headlight not working | Lights and electrics | 1.7 | 2.0 | £18 to £86 per lamp |
| Side/position light not working | Lights and electrics | 1.7 | 5.4 | £10 to £47 per lamp |
Early warnings: advisories and minor defects at 19 years
Advisories and minor defects are recorded, but the car still passes. Across all cars, a part with an advisory or minor defect failed at the next MOT 5.5 times in 100 (n=88,666,940 pairs of consecutive MOTs), against 0.3 times in 100 when the same part had none (n=12,936,860,350).
| Item | Area | Per 100 MOTs | All cars | If it needs replacing (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material | Brakes | 15.4 | 14.1 | £137 to £392 per car (rough guide) |
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge | Tyres | 11.6 | 16.6 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Suspension arm pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement | Suspension | 9.9 | 8.1 | £92 to £237 per arm (rough guide) |
| Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive | Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 9.3 | 13.2 | |
| Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened | Suspension | 9.1 | 5.0 | |
| Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing | Tyres | 7.7 | 9.9 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened | Brakes | 7.3 | 10.8 | £148 to £376 per axle (rough guide) |
| Brake pads: wearing thin | Brakes | 5.6 | 6.0 | £72 to £174 per axle (rough guide) |
| Suspension arm ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated | Suspension | 5.5 | 2.1 | |
| Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | Lights and electrics | 4.9 | 5.6 |
Repair estimates are a guide for an independent garage: labour at the national median local garage rate (median £78 an hour from 65 garages, ONS price quotes) times estimated labour hours, plus a parts band. Labour hours and most parts bands are estimates, not quotes, and prices vary by model, engine and region. A warning light fault shows the cost of the diagnosis only.
How problems change with age
| Age | Tests (n) | Suspension | Brakes | Lights and electrics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 years | 1,371 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 1.2 |
| 5 years | 2,288 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 1.4 |
| 6 years | 3,280 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 2.6 |
| 7 years | 3,804 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 2.4 |
| 8 years | 4,080 | 4.3 | 1.6 | 2.6 |
| 9 years | 4,319 | 5.4 | 2.0 | 4.0 |
| 10 years | 4,274 | 6.7 | 2.1 | 4.1 |
| 11 years | 4,831 | 7.1 | 2.4 | 5.1 |
| 12 years | 5,154 | 8.7 | 2.8 | 5.0 |
| 13 years | 4,561 | 9.4 | 4.0 | 6.3 |
| 14 years | 4,438 | 9.2 | 4.9 | 6.8 |
| 15 years | 4,380 | 9.1 | 6.5 | 7.9 |
| 16 years | 4,563 | 10.2 | 8.7 | 10.1 |
| 17 years | 5,136 | 11.0 | 8.2 | 9.3 |
| 18 years | 5,998 | 10.8 | 9.8 | 9.7 |
| 19 years | 6,518 | 11.7 | 9.2 | 9.2 |
| 20 years | 5,706 | 12.0 | 9.3 | 8.5 |
| 21 years | 5,051 | 12.0 | 9.9 | 9.5 |
| 22 years | 3,861 | 11.2 | 8.0 | 8.9 |
| 23 years | 2,576 | 11.4 | 6.9 | 7.8 |
| 24 years | 2,897 | 12.0 | 6.8 | 9.4 |
| 25 years | 2,998 | 11.5 | 6.8 | 8.7 |
Mileage
At 19 years, Jaguar XJ cars showing 60,000 to 90,000 miles failed 27.6% of MOTs (n=1,569); the band that failed most, 120,000 to 150,000 miles, failed 32.0% (n=1,376). For pass and fail rates by age, see Jaguar XJ MOT fail rates.
What to check on a viewing
On the Jaguar XJ, testers most often record malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction; track rod end: ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt; suspension arm ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt. Look at these first, then the areas below.
Suspension
- Listen for knocks or clonks over speed bumps and rough roads on the test drive.
- Push down hard on each corner: the car should settle at once rather than keep bouncing.
- Look behind the wheels for broken or heavily rusted coil springs and split rubber bushes.
- Check that the car sits level and that no tyre is worn on one edge only.
Brakes
- On the test drive the car should stop in a straight line without pulling, juddering or grinding.
- Look at the discs through the wheels for a deep lip, heavy rust or scoring.
- Check that the handbrake or electronic parking brake holds the car on a slope.
- Ask when the pads, discs and brake fluid were last changed, and for the receipts.
Lights and electrics
- With someone outside, try every light: dipped and main beam, indicators, brake lights, fog lights and number plate lamps.
- Check that the warning lights come on with the ignition and go out once the engine runs.
- Look for misted, cracked or yellowed headlamp lenses.
Ask for the car's MOT history and service record: advisories that repeat from one year to the next show what has been left. GOV.UK MOT history.
Questions
What are the most common problems on the Jaguar XJ?
At 19 years, the age with the most MOT tests (6,518), the fail items testers record most often on the Jaguar XJ are malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction (3.5 per 100 MOTs), track rod end: ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (3.3 per 100 MOTs), suspension arm ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (3.0 per 100 MOTs). The most common advisories or minor defects are rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material (15.4) and tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (11.6).
Which parts of the Jaguar XJ fail more often than on other cars?
At 19 years: steering (5.1 per 100 MOTs against 4.1 for all cars). Compared with 2,479,858 MOTs of all cars the same age.
Jaguar XJ problems by area
More on the Jaguar XJ
Other Jaguar models
The all cars figures cover all class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans) tested at the same age.
Looking at a Jaguar XJ?
These figures describe the model, not the car in front of you. Found one you might buy? See what the VetTheCar Buying Report covers, or use the tools that work without a registration.
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Repair estimates: ONS consumer price quotes for local garage labour (09/2025 to 08/2026), the MOT inspection manual for defect wording, and estimated labour hours and parts bands. Not affiliated with or endorsed by ONS.
Source
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025. MOT data updated 28 September 2026.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources