2003 Jaguar X-Type — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2003 Jaguar X-Type passed 70.8% of its 17,097 recorded MOT tests. Executive cars of a similar age fail 24.4% of the time, so this is 4.9pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, brakes and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (14.9%) and brakes (11.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, malfunction indicator lamp and headlamp aim — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 1,391 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 13.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 37.2% once past 150k — 2.7× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 28.8% fail against 33.9% for diesel, a 5.1-point gap across 17,097 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 38.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 30.6% in 2021 to 28.8% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 14.9% | 2,540 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.9% | 2,038 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 11.4% | 1,955 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 9.8% | 1,679 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.0% | 1,031 |
| 6 | Tyres | 5.8% | 993 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 1,391 |
| 2 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 1,147 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 1,028 |
| 4 | Prescribed areas | 957 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 927 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 810 |
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 | 38.4% | 6,561 |
| 2 | Brakes | 36.0% | 6,148 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 27.1% | 4,631 |
| 4 | Tyres | 25.3% | 4,326 |
| 5 | Other defects | 11.3% | 1,934 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 10.0% | 1,705 |
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 | 399 | 13.8% |
| 30-60k | 2,857 | 20.8% |
| 60-90k | 5,632 | 28.3% |
| 90-120k | 4,930 | 32.4% |
| 120-150k | 2,205 | 34.4% |
| 150k+ | 1,051 | 37.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 15,508 | 28.8% |
| Diesel | 1,589 | 33.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 5,226 | 30.6% |
| 2022 | 4,053 | 28.8% |
| 2023 | 3,229 | 28.5% |
| 2024 | 2,578 | 28.5% |
| 2025 | 2,011 | 28.8% |
What to check before buying a 2003 X-Type
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 14.9% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (14.9% 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.
- Brakes (11.9% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (11.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 2003 Jaguar X-Types pass their MOT?
70.8% of the 17,097 2003 Jaguar X-Type MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 29.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2003 Jaguar X-Type?
Suspension, recorded in 14.9% of tests, followed by brakes (11.9%).
Does the 2003 X-Type get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 13.8% in the 0-30k band to 37.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 17,097 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.