1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee passed 69.5% of its 393 recorded MOT tests. That is 5.8 percentage points worse than large SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 24.7%. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (16.5%) and lighting & signalling (14.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, joints and rigid brake pipes — headlamp aim alone was recorded 30 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 60-90k one: 31.8% versus 26.1%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 46.6% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 28.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 31.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 16.5% | 65 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 14.5% | 57 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 12.2% | 48 |
| 4 | Suspension | 8.6% | 34 |
| 5 | Steering | 6.1% | 24 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.6% | 18 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 30 |
| 2 | Joints | 27 |
| 3 | Rigid brake pipes | 27 |
| 4 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 24 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 22 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 22 |
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 | 46.6% | 183 |
| 2 | Suspension | 43.3% | 170 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 32.3% | 127 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 25.7% | 101 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 24.2% | 95 |
| 6 | Tyres | 15.8% | 62 |
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 | 46 | 26.1% |
| 90-120k | 120 | 26.7% |
| 120-150k | 126 | 34.9% |
| 150k+ | 88 | 31.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 106 | 28.3% |
| 2022 | 99 | 31.3% |
| 2023 | 73 | 28.8% |
| 2024 | 61 | 34.4% |
| 2025 | 54 | 31.5% |
What to check before buying a 1999 Grand Cherokee
On a 1999 Grand Cherokee, brakes is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 16.5% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Brakes (16.5% 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 (14.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (12.2% 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 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokees pass their MOT?
69.5% of the 393 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 30.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
Brakes, recorded in 16.5% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (14.5%).
Does the 1999 Grand Cherokee get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 26.1% in the 60-90k band to 31.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 393 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.