2004 Jeep Cherokee Crd A — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2004 Jeep Cherokee Crd A passed 68.8% of its 1,351 recorded MOT tests. That is 3.4 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 27.7%. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (18.2%) and lighting & signalling (15.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, rbt (sp) and position lamp — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 114 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 60-90k one: 34.8% versus 26.8%.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 39.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 29.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 32.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 18.2% | 246 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 15.5% | 210 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.3% | 153 |
| 4 | Suspension | 11.0% | 149 |
| 5 | Steering | 4.9% | 66 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.7% | 64 |
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 | 114 |
| 2 | Rbt (sp) | 89 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 81 |
| 4 | Joints | 70 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 61 |
| 6 | Track rod end | 56 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 39.4% | 532 |
| 2 | Suspension | 33.6% | 454 |
| 3 | Tyres | 22.3% | 301 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 21.2% | 287 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 16.7% | 226 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 15.5% | 210 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 60-90k | 198 | 26.8% |
| 90-120k | 511 | 30.1% |
| 120-150k | 455 | 34.3% |
| 150k+ | 161 | 34.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 373 | 29.8% |
| 2022 | 348 | 32.8% |
| 2023 | 256 | 30.5% |
| 2024 | 216 | 31.0% |
| 2025 | 158 | 32.3% |
What to check before buying a 2004 Cherokee Crd A
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 18.2% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (18.2% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (15.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (11.3% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
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 Jeep Cherokee Crd As pass their MOT?
68.8% of the 1,351 2004 Jeep Cherokee Crd A MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 31.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2004 Jeep Cherokee Crd A?
Brakes, recorded in 18.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (15.5%).
Does the 2004 Cherokee Crd A get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 26.8% in the 60-90k band to 34.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,351 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.