2008 Jaguar XJ — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 5,400 MOT tests, the 2008 Jaguar XJ recorded an 82.2% pass rate. Against executive cars of a similar age (22.6% fail rate), the 2008 XJ comes out 4.8pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (7.5%) and suspension (7.2%) 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, pins and bushes and rigid brake pipes — ball joint dust cover alone was recorded 263 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 21.6% versus 2.7%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 15.9% fail against 18.4% for diesel, a 2.5-point gap across 5,400 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 26.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 17.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 19.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 7.5% | 406 |
| 2 | Suspension | 7.2% | 390 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.7% | 305 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.1% | 222 |
| 5 | Tyres | 4.0% | 216 |
| 6 | Steering | 2.1% | 111 |
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 | 263 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 219 |
| 3 | Rigid brake pipes | 159 |
| 4 | Washers | 157 |
| 5 | Track rod end | 148 |
| 6 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 138 |
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 | 26.2% | 1,416 |
| 2 | Brakes | 23.6% | 1,275 |
| 3 | Tyres | 20.8% | 1,123 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 9.2% | 497 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.0% | 270 |
| 6 | Other defects | 4.9% | 265 |
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 | 110 | 2.7% |
| 30-60k | 837 | 13.1% |
| 60-90k | 1,546 | 16.7% |
| 90-120k | 1,463 | 18.9% |
| 120-150k | 906 | 21.7% |
| 150k+ | 536 | 21.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 4,076 | 18.4% |
| Petrol | 1,324 | 15.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,128 | 17.6% |
| 2022 | 1,074 | 14.8% |
| 2023 | 1,114 | 18.1% |
| 2024 | 1,048 | 19.2% |
| 2025 | 1,036 | 19.4% |
What to check before buying a 2008 XJ
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 7.5% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (7.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (7.2% 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 (5.7% 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 Jaguar XJs pass their MOT?
82.2% of the 5,400 2008 Jaguar XJ MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2008 Jaguar XJ?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.5% of tests, followed by suspension (7.2%).
Does the 2008 XJ get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 2.7% in the 0-30k band to 21.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 5,400 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.