Jaguar E' Type MOT pass rate & common failures
2,333 MOT tests on the Jaguar E' Type (1980–2021) give it a 91.6% pass rate. All cars of a similar age fail 20.0% of the time, so this is 11.6pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (4.7%) and visibility (3.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are washers, headlamp aim and ball joint dust cover — washers alone was recorded 66 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.2% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 12.0% once past 90-120k.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 8.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 9.9% in 2021 to 8.0% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every E' Type model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 48 | 87.5% | 12.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1982 | 34 | 88.2% | 11.8% | Visibility |
| 1985 | 43 | 86.1% | 14.0% | Brakes |
| 1987 | 44 | 95.5% | 4.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1988 | 43 | 95.3% | 4.7% | Suspension |
| 1989 | 134 | 88.1% | 11.9% | Visibility |
| 1990 | 190 | 90.5% | 9.5% | Brakes |
| 1991 | 113 | 91.1% | 8.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1992 | 62 | 100.0% | 0.0% | Tyres |
| 1993 | 68 | 92.7% | 7.3% | Steering |
| 1994 | 84 | 84.5% | 15.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1995 | 52 | 94.2% | 5.8% | Visibility |
| 1996 | 41 | 95.1% | 4.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1997 | 70 | 91.4% | 8.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 50 | 90.0% | 10.0% | Visibility |
| 1999 | 47 | 91.5% | 8.5% | Brakes |
| 2000 | 31 | 90.3% | 9.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 49 | 91.8% | 8.2% | Brakes |
| 2002 | 40 | 92.5% | 7.5% | Steering |
| 2003 | 46 | 84.8% | 15.2% | Visibility |
| 2005 | 31 | 96.8% | 3.2% | Visibility |
| 2006 | 41 | 92.7% | 7.3% | Steering |
| 2009 | 32 | 96.9% | 3.1% | Suspension |
| 2011 | 35 | 97.1% | 2.9% | Brakes |
| 2012 | 43 | 97.7% | 2.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 60 | 96.7% | 3.3% | Seat belts & restraints |
| 2014 | 89 | 89.9% | 10.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 83 | 87.9% | 12.0% | Visibility |
| 2016 | 113 | 93.8% | 6.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2017 | 112 | 92.0% | 8.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2018 | 83 | 95.2% | 4.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2019 | 68 | 89.7% | 10.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2020 | 54 | 92.6% | 7.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 49 | 83.7% | 16.3% | Brakes |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 4.7% | 110 |
| 2 | Visibility | 3.1% | 73 |
| 3 | Brakes | 3.0% | 70 |
| 4 | Suspension | 2.3% | 54 |
| 5 | Steering | 1.7% | 40 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.8% | 19 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 0.6% | 14 |
| 8 | Other defects | 0.3% | 8 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washers | 66 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 51 |
| 3 | Ball joint dust cover | 42 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 36 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 29 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 26 |
| 7 | Horn | 24 |
| 8 | Ball joint | 22 |
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 | 8.4% | 197 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 5.8% | 135 |
| 3 | Steering | 3.6% | 83 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.5% | 59 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.0% | 46 |
| 6 | Tyres | 1.9% | 44 |
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 | 953 | 7.2% |
| 30-60k | 670 | 9.0% |
| 60-90k | 574 | 8.9% |
| 90-120k | 133 | 12.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 615 | 9.9% |
| 2022 | 514 | 8.0% |
| 2023 | 490 | 7.5% |
| 2024 | 365 | 8.0% |
| 2025 | 349 | 8.0% |
What to check before buying a Jaguar E' Type
- Lighting & signalling (4.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (3.1% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Brakes (3.0% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Jaguar E' Type?
91.6% of the 2,333 Jaguar E' Type MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 8.4% fail rate, across model years 1980–2021.
What does the Jaguar E' Type most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 4.7% of tests, then visibility (3.1%).
How much does mileage affect E' Type MOT results?
Fail rates run at 7.2% for cars in the 0-30k band and 12.0% for 90-120k, a 4.8-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,333 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.