Chrysler-Jeep Grand Cherokee MOT pass rate & common failures
The Chrysler-Jeep Grand Cherokee appears in 13,196 MOT tests spanning model years 1993–2016, and 76.1% of them passed. All cars of a similar age fail 26.5% of the time, so this is 2.6pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
Best and worst Grand Cherokee years
Ranked across Grand Cherokee years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
Build year matters more than the headline suggests: 2007 cars pass 77.6% of the time while 2004 cars manage 74.0%, a 3.6-point spread.
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.1% of tests against 10.3% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, ball joint and headlamp aim — position lamp alone was recorded 682 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 28.3% versus 12.2%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 23.3% of the time against 24.1% for diesel.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 40.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every Grand Cherokee model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 83 | 71.1% | 28.9% | Brakes |
| 1997 | 171 | 68.4% | 31.6% | Suspension |
| 1998 | 245 | 71.8% | 28.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 433 | 73.9% | 26.1% | Brakes |
| 2000 | 431 | 75.9% | 24.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 565 | 75.6% | 24.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 594 | 75.9% | 24.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 936 | 74.4% | 25.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 1,031 | 74.0% | 26.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 1,163 | 74.6% | 25.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 2,304 | 75.2% | 24.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 1,735 | 77.6% | 22.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 1,093 | 76.0% | 24.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 790 | 79.6% | 20.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 939 | 80.1% | 19.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 289 | 79.6% | 20.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 315 | 83.5% | 16.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 41 | 68.3% | 31.7% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 14.1% | 1,862 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.3% | 1,364 |
| 3 | Suspension | 9.7% | 1,280 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.5% | 733 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.8% | 635 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.3% | 562 |
| 7 | Steering | 2.8% | 374 |
| 8 | Tyres | 2.4% | 320 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 682 |
| 2 | Ball joint | 604 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 560 |
| 4 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 520 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 440 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 434 |
| 7 | Wipers | 418 |
| 8 | Headlamp | 361 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 40.0% | 5,272 |
| 2 | Brakes | 32.2% | 4,248 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 19.9% | 2,630 |
| 4 | Tyres | 17.9% | 2,368 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 15.1% | 1,992 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.9% | 1,569 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 49 | 12.2% |
| 30-60k | 635 | 16.7% |
| 60-90k | 2,404 | 20.5% |
| 90-120k | 4,392 | 23.8% |
| 120-150k | 3,393 | 24.6% |
| 150k+ | 2,309 | 28.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 9,189 | 24.1% |
| Petrol | 3,991 | 23.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,546 | 24.4% |
| 2022 | 3,067 | 23.7% |
| 2023 | 2,603 | 23.5% |
| 2024 | 2,196 | 24.2% |
| 2025 | 1,784 | 23.1% |
What to check before buying a Chrysler-Jeep Grand Cherokee
- Lighting & signalling (14.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (10.3% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Suspension (9.7% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Chrysler-Jeep Grand Cherokee?
76.1% of the 13,196 Chrysler-Jeep Grand Cherokee MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 23.9% fail rate, across model years 1993–2016.
What does the Chrysler-Jeep Grand Cherokee most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.1% of tests, then brakes (10.3%).
Which Grand Cherokee years are best and worst for MOT results?
2007 has the best pass rate at 77.6% and 2004 the weakest at 74.0%, from 1,735 and 1,031 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Grand Cherokee MOT results?
Fail rates run at 12.2% for cars in the 0-30k band and 28.3% for 150k+, a 16.1-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Grand Cherokee more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 23.3% of the time against 24.1% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 13,196 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.