Jaguar Xjs MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 42 model years and 18,793 tests, the Jaguar Xjs passes its MOT 82.3% of the time. All cars of a similar age fail 22.2% of the time, so this is 4.5pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
Best and worst Xjs years
Ranked across Xjs years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
The strongest year on this record is 1995 (85.5% pass rate); the weakest is 1992 (77.6%). Older cars carry more of the difference than the average implies.
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (9.2%) and brakes (8.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are service brake performance, rbt (sp) and headlamp aim — service brake performance alone was recorded 837 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 24.7% versus 12.3%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 24.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 19.8% in 2021 to 16.4% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Xjs model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 31 | 80.7% | 19.4% | Brakes |
| 1981 | 34 | 82.3% | 17.6% | Suspension |
| 1982 | 121 | 77.7% | 22.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1983 | 164 | 80.5% | 19.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1984 | 320 | 80.6% | 19.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1985 | 678 | 79.8% | 20.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1986 | 806 | 80.7% | 19.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1987 | 1,010 | 81.3% | 18.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1988 | 1,480 | 83.5% | 16.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1989 | 2,668 | 82.2% | 17.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1990 | 1,986 | 83.2% | 16.8% | Brakes |
| 1991 | 1,444 | 82.0% | 18.0% | Brakes |
| 1992 | 1,374 | 77.6% | 22.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1993 | 1,790 | 80.8% | 19.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1994 | 1,685 | 85.0% | 15.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1995 | 1,883 | 85.5% | 14.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1996 | 1,118 | 84.1% | 15.9% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 9.2% | 1,725 |
| 2 | Brakes | 8.2% | 1,532 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.1% | 962 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.6% | 857 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.3% | 620 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.8% | 524 |
| 7 | Steering | 1.8% | 344 |
| 8 | Tyres | 1.4% | 268 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Service brake performance | 837 |
| 2 | Rbt (sp) | 821 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 757 |
| 4 | Washers | 610 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 568 |
| 6 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 489 |
| 7 | Catalyst emissions | 452 |
| 8 | Wipers | 380 |
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 | 24.7% | 4,646 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 16.5% | 3,106 |
| 3 | Brakes | 12.1% | 2,270 |
| 4 | Tyres | 10.9% | 2,045 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.6% | 1,437 |
| 6 | Steering | 7.0% | 1,324 |
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 | 1,220 | 12.3% |
| 30-60k | 4,207 | 14.1% |
| 60-90k | 6,180 | 17.0% |
| 90-120k | 4,484 | 20.3% |
| 120-150k | 2,034 | 21.9% |
| 150k+ | 660 | 24.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,243 | 19.8% |
| 2022 | 4,023 | 18.3% |
| 2023 | 3,698 | 17.0% |
| 2024 | 3,390 | 16.0% |
| 2025 | 3,439 | 16.4% |
What to check before buying a Jaguar Xjs
- Lighting & signalling (9.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (8.2% 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.
- Suspension (5.1% 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.
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 Xjs?
82.3% of the 18,793 Jaguar Xjs MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 17.7% fail rate, across model years 1980–2021.
What does the Jaguar Xjs most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 9.2% of tests, then brakes (8.2%).
Which Xjs years are best and worst for MOT results?
1995 has the best pass rate at 85.5% and 1992 the weakest at 77.6%, from 1,883 and 1,374 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Xjs MOT results?
Fail rates run at 12.3% for cars in the 0-30k band and 24.7% for 150k+, a 12.4-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 18,793 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.