2007 Jaguar XJ — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 7,458 MOT tests, the 2007 Jaguar XJ recorded an 80.2% pass rate. Against executive cars of a similar age (23.3% fail rate), the 2007 XJ comes out 3.5pp better. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (8.7%) and lighting & signalling (8.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint dust cover, track rod end and pins and bushes — ball joint dust cover alone was recorded 454 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 15.6% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 22.3% once past 150k.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 1.6pp more often than petrol ones (20.2% vs 18.6%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 27.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 18.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 8.7% | 650 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 8.6% | 638 |
| 3 | Brakes | 7.3% | 547 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.4% | 329 |
| 5 | Tyres | 3.9% | 289 |
| 6 | Steering | 3.0% | 221 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball joint dust cover | 454 |
| 2 | Track rod end | 331 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 320 |
| 4 | Rigid brake pipes | 309 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 208 |
| 6 | Washers | 207 |
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 | 27.7% | 2,064 |
| 2 | Brakes | 27.1% | 2,022 |
| 3 | Tyres | 20.5% | 1,531 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 10.3% | 768 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.5% | 409 |
| 6 | Other defects | 4.4% | 329 |
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 | 122 | 15.6% |
| 30-60k | 1,030 | 14.7% |
| 60-90k | 1,956 | 19.5% |
| 90-120k | 2,088 | 21.0% |
| 120-150k | 1,309 | 20.8% |
| 150k+ | 951 | 22.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 5,236 | 20.2% |
| Petrol | 2,222 | 18.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,527 | 18.1% |
| 2022 | 1,564 | 18.6% |
| 2023 | 1,557 | 20.8% |
| 2024 | 1,447 | 20.5% |
| 2025 | 1,363 | 21.0% |
What to check before buying a 2007 XJ
On a 2007 XJ, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 8.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (8.7% 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 (8.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.3% 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.
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 2007 Jaguar XJs pass their MOT?
80.2% of the 7,458 2007 Jaguar XJ MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2007 Jaguar XJ?
Suspension, recorded in 8.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (8.6%).
Does the 2007 XJ get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 15.6% in the 0-30k band to 22.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 7,458 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.