2004 Jaguar X-Type — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2004 Jaguar X-Type passed 68.3% of its 23,055 recorded MOT tests. Against executive cars of a similar age (24.3% fail rate), the 2004 X-Type comes out 7.3pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Suspension dominates the failure mix at 17.3% of all tests — 3.6 points clear of lighting & signalling, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, headlamp aim and pins and bushes — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 2,242 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 10.2% in the 0-30k band and 39.1% in the 150k+ band, a 28.9-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 6.2pp more often than petrol ones (35.0% vs 28.9%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 39.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 33.0% in 2021 to 31.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 17.3% | 3,994 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 13.7% | 3,154 |
| 3 | Brakes | 11.9% | 2,748 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 10.0% | 2,309 |
| 5 | Tyres | 6.9% | 1,588 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.6% | 1,509 |
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 | 2,242 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 1,709 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 1,466 |
| 4 | Prescribed areas | 1,296 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 1,121 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 1,062 |
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 | 39.7% | 9,149 |
| 2 | Brakes | 34.5% | 7,953 |
| 3 | Tyres | 26.8% | 6,187 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 24.4% | 5,623 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 12.1% | 2,799 |
| 6 | Other defects | 10.1% | 2,337 |
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 | 335 | 10.2% |
| 30-60k | 2,558 | 22.0% |
| 60-90k | 5,856 | 28.0% |
| 90-120k | 6,822 | 33.1% |
| 120-150k | 4,513 | 36.4% |
| 150k+ | 2,960 | 39.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 12,615 | 28.9% |
| Diesel | 10,431 | 35.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 7,412 | 33.0% |
| 2022 | 5,588 | 31.5% |
| 2023 | 4,291 | 31.0% |
| 2024 | 3,260 | 30.3% |
| 2025 | 2,504 | 31.1% |
What to check before buying a 2004 X-Type
On a 2004 X-Type, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 17.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (17.3% 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 (13.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- 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.
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 2004 Jaguar X-Types pass their MOT?
68.3% of the 23,055 2004 Jaguar X-Type MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 31.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2004 Jaguar X-Type?
Suspension, recorded in 17.3% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (13.7%).
Does the 2004 X-Type get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.2% in the 0-30k band to 39.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 23,055 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.