Jaguar XK MOT pass rate & common failures
86,891 MOT tests on the Jaguar XK (1980–2021) give it an 82.8% pass rate. Against coupes & convertibles of a similar age (20.2% fail rate), the XK comes out 3.0pp better. Its most common failure areas are suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
Best and worst XK years
Ranked across XK 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 2014 (91.0% pass rate); the weakest is 2000 (77.1%). Older cars carry more of the difference than the average implies.
No single area dominates — suspension (7.1%) and lighting & signalling (6.0%) 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, headlamp aim and catalyst emissions — ball joint dust cover alone was recorded 3,800 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 8.6% in the 0-30k band and 27.0% in the 150k+ band, a 18.4-point spread — more than double.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 24.7% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every XK model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 35 | 85.7% | 14.3% | Brakes |
| 1996 | 1,851 | 79.1% | 20.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1997 | 6,922 | 80.7% | 19.3% | Suspension |
| 1998 | 5,833 | 78.6% | 21.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 3,059 | 78.6% | 21.3% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2000 | 3,186 | 77.1% | 22.9% | Suspension |
| 2001 | 4,036 | 80.2% | 19.8% | Suspension |
| 2002 | 3,735 | 80.0% | 20.0% | Suspension |
| 2003 | 3,564 | 79.3% | 20.7% | Suspension |
| 2004 | 3,331 | 81.3% | 18.7% | Suspension |
| 2005 | 3,930 | 82.3% | 17.7% | Suspension |
| 2006 | 11,213 | 81.7% | 18.3% | Suspension |
| 2007 | 6,691 | 81.5% | 18.6% | Suspension |
| 2008 | 4,346 | 82.3% | 17.6% | Suspension |
| 2009 | 3,541 | 84.0% | 16.0% | Suspension |
| 2010 | 3,459 | 86.0% | 14.0% | Suspension |
| 2011 | 3,222 | 88.0% | 12.0% | Suspension |
| 2012 | 3,086 | 88.7% | 11.3% | Tyres |
| 2013 | 4,560 | 90.2% | 9.8% | Tyres |
| 2014 | 6,252 | 91.0% | 9.0% | Tyres |
| 2015 | 705 | 90.8% | 9.2% | Tyres |
| 2016 | 38 | 92.1% | 7.9% | Visibility |
| 2017 | 31 | 83.9% | 16.1% | Brakes |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 7.1% | 6,209 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 6.0% | 5,229 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.1% | 4,391 |
| 4 | Tyres | 3.5% | 3,035 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.2% | 2,749 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.8% | 2,466 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.7% | 1,498 |
| 8 | Steering | 1.5% | 1,323 |
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 | 3,800 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 2,320 |
| 3 | Catalyst emissions | 2,215 |
| 4 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 1,800 |
| 5 | Wipers | 1,659 |
| 6 | Pins and bushes | 1,585 |
| 7 | Washers | 1,582 |
| 8 | Track rod end | 1,524 |
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% | 21,443 |
| 2 | Tyres | 19.9% | 17,256 |
| 3 | Brakes | 17.1% | 14,823 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.7% | 4,991 |
| 5 | Other defects | 5.3% | 4,587 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 4.8% | 4,192 |
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 | 9,006 | 8.6% |
| 30-60k | 24,718 | 13.3% |
| 60-90k | 26,748 | 17.9% |
| 90-120k | 17,304 | 21.9% |
| 120-150k | 6,796 | 24.4% |
| 150k+ | 2,249 | 27.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 86,830 | 17.2% |
| Diesel | 60 | 16.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 18,557 | 17.3% |
| 2022 | 17,921 | 17.3% |
| 2023 | 17,370 | 16.6% |
| 2024 | 16,800 | 17.4% |
| 2025 | 16,243 | 17.3% |
What to check before buying a Jaguar XK
- Suspension (7.1% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (6.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (5.1% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Jaguar XK?
82.8% of the 86,891 Jaguar XK MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 17.2% fail rate, across model years 1980–2021.
What does the Jaguar XK most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 7.1% of tests, then lighting & signalling (6.0%).
Which XK years are best and worst for MOT results?
2014 has the best pass rate at 91.0% and 2000 the weakest at 77.1%, from 6,252 and 3,186 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect XK MOT results?
Fail rates run at 8.6% for cars in the 0-30k band and 27.0% for 150k+, a 18.4-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 86,891 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.