2008 Chrysler-Jeep Patriot — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2008 Chrysler-Jeep Patriot passed 66.6% of its 1,822 recorded MOT tests. Against all cars of a similar age (26.0% fail rate), the 2008 Patriot comes out 7.4pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 22.7% of tests against 18.5% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, ball joint and position lamp — pins and bushes alone was recorded 269 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 31.1% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 35.3% once past 150k.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 33.1% of the time against 33.6% for diesel.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 45.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 31.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 35.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 22.7% | 413 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 18.5% | 337 |
| 3 | Brakes | 9.9% | 181 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 6.7% | 122 |
| 5 | Tyres | 5.9% | 108 |
| 6 | Steering | 5.6% | 102 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pins and bushes | 269 |
| 2 | Ball joint | 220 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 161 |
| 4 | Track rod end | 106 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 98 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 80 |
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 | 45.1% | 821 |
| 2 | Brakes | 29.9% | 544 |
| 3 | Tyres | 28.0% | 510 |
| 4 | Other defects | 13.7% | 249 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 13.2% | 240 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 10.0% | 182 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 90 | 31.1% |
| 60-90k | 481 | 33.1% |
| 90-120k | 764 | 33.0% |
| 120-150k | 389 | 35.0% |
| 150k+ | 85 | 35.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 1,102 | 33.6% |
| Petrol | 720 | 33.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 514 | 31.9% |
| 2022 | 453 | 31.4% |
| 2023 | 369 | 33.3% |
| 2024 | 292 | 37.7% |
| 2025 | 194 | 35.6% |
What to check before buying a 2008 Patriot
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 22.7% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (22.7% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (18.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (9.9% 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.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2008 Chrysler-Jeep Patriots pass their MOT?
66.6% of the 1,822 2008 Chrysler-Jeep Patriot MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 33.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2008 Chrysler-Jeep Patriot?
Suspension, recorded in 22.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (18.5%).
Does the 2008 Patriot get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 31.1% in the 30-60k band to 35.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,822 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.